1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
51 
YORK STATE PRUNE WITH HEN’S EGG. Fig. 31. 
THE YORK STATE PRUNE. 
In a recent Rural New-Yorker, I noticed 
reference to this variety. A fruit grower near 
Rochester, has a large orchard of it in bear¬ 
ing, and in the same orchard, the German 
Prune and Fellenberg. He states that this 
variety is entirely distinct from the German 
Prune and Fellenberg, being larger than 
either variety, and differing from them in 
many respects. 
The public has always been a little sus¬ 
picious in regard to new varieties, assuming, 
hastily, often, that they were old varieties 
under a new name. When the Worden grape 
was first tested, it was pronounced by the 
best horticulturists and pomologists, such 
men as Patrick Barry, and others, to be 
nothing more, or less, than the old Concord. 
Such statements as this regarding new varie¬ 
ties have been repeatedly made since. 
I recall a recent report in The R. N.-Y. of 
specimens of grapes claimed to be a new 
variety, which The R. N.-Y. reported to be 
identical with Eaton. At the same time, 
specimens of this variety were sent me for 
testing. I also noticed a strong similarity to 
Eaton, but I had serious doubts about its 
being identical with Eaton. The proprietor of this new 
grape claimed that he bought a lot of Concord vines, 
and one of the roots, on one of its branches, bore this 
large cluster of very large and showy fruit. There is 
little doubt in my mind that this grape is a distinct 
variety. Possibly it may be far superior to the Eaton. 
There is no reason for condemning a variety simply 
because it resembles another in appearance and 
quality, for in character of vine, vigor, productive¬ 
ness, etc., it may differ greatly and be of far more 
value. Eaton has its defects. It is not a very pro¬ 
ductive variety, and the clusters not always large. 
This variety alluded to may differ as much from it as 
the Worden differs from the Concord. 
The following is what I have to say about the York 
State prune: 
In one sense, this is a new prune and in another it is not. It 
has been largely grown in New York State, where large orchards 
may be seen at the present day in fruiting, but I am not aware of 
any orchards in existence outside of this State; it is a chance 
seedling, evidently a cross between the German Prune and the 
Fellenbe ' (Italian Prune). It combines the good qualities of 
both of above varieties; it is shaped like a prune, much larger 
than German Prune, skin dark blue covered with bloom, long 
stalk, flesh yellow, juicy and sweet and of superior quality, 
separates freely from the stone and ripens about October 1; the 
tree is a vigorous and upright grower and bears heavily at an 
early age. This excellent variety of plum is no experiment, since 
it has been so extensively grown and its good qualities tested. 
It originated as follows: In a settlement largely of German 
people, the German Prune was extensively grown, propagated 
from seed. These good people assumed that the seed would pro¬ 
duce Gerfhan Prunes without variation. This is one of the seed¬ 
lings which varied from its parent materially, more closely re¬ 
sembling the Fellenberg than the German Prune. The fact that 
it was grown in an orchard on the supposition that it was a Ger¬ 
man Prune is the reason for its having been somewhat dis¬ 
seminated under that name. But the German Prune is a slow 
a sure disinfectant are questions yet to be decided. 
From an extensive experience with it, I should re¬ 
commend spading or plowing every spot of ground 
possible about the premises, or covering the soil in 
the runs with a fresh layer of earth. The house 
should be tightly closed and fumigated with sulphur 
fumes. Place several pans of sulphur about the house, 
pour on a little alcohol and apply the match. Two 
pounds of sulphur are sufficient for an ordinary-sized 
henhouse for, say, 30 fowls. It is best to let the 
house remain empty one season, or else not raise any 
young stock for a year or two. With good care, most 
cases will be fully recovered in six months, usually 
in much less time. At the end of that time, examine 
each bird by pressing each nostril for moisture. If 
any are found with any discharge from either nostril, 
dispose of them and you should have no more roup 
until you raise young stock, or import birds which 
have not been exposed. It is like whooping cough. 
After a case is fully recovered, the fowl is not likely 
to contract it a second time. How long the germs 
will live about the premises after all birds are re¬ 
covered or disposed of, is not known. My experience 
tends to prove that, in open soil, gapes will survive 
one winter’s frost and roup will not. I consider boil¬ 
ing water or steam on the floor and feed boxes, etc., 
one of the best germicides. 
What are Roup and Gapes ? 
Roup in poultry is a catarrhal and diphtheritic dis¬ 
ease. I think that the cause is always dampness in 
the brooder or house occupied by the fowls. I do not 
believe that exposure to cold or drafts of wind has 
much to do with it. I have known fowls to roost in 
Several Disinfectants Suggested. 
t. The use of lime is of assistance in check¬ 
ing the spread of roup, when other precau¬ 
tions are taken, but lime alone will not 
eradicate the disease unless used in such 
excessive quantity as to be of itself injurious. 
2. A weak solution of mercuric chloride is 
the best disinfectant, but could not be 
thoroughly applied with safety unless the 
fowls could be removed for some time. Chlo¬ 
ride of lime, five ounces in one gallon of water, 
is of service. One disinfectant that has been 
recommended by medical men for control of 
other diseases, will be, perhaps, as generally useful 
as any. This is made by adding slowly and carefully 
to crude carbolic acid, an equal volume of crude sul¬ 
phuric acid, the acids being mixed in a glazed earthen¬ 
ware or glass vessel standing in cold water. The 
mixture is diluted with 20 times its volume of water, 
and sprinkled about the infected premises. This 
mixture should be carefully made and handled. Im¬ 
munity from roup which has existed in some small 
poultry houses where many diseased birds had pre¬ 
viously been, I have thought due to fumigation from 
burning sulphur. A house that can be tightly closed 
can be with advantage treated with sulphur fumes. 
A liberal amount of sulphur should be used. This 
can be burned in an iron kettle standing where there 
is no danger of fire. The house should be tightly 
closed for several hours. Without the removal of ail¬ 
ing birds, other precautions would not prevent the 
spread of the disease. 3. The lime is of some benefit. 
Salt is, probably, better, for the embryo of the gape 
worm, which is reported to live some time in lime 
water, dies quickly in salt water. 4. Plaster would 
be of little direct benefit. wm p. wheeler 
" No”! And With a llengence. 
No ! The free use of lime would sweeten the prem¬ 
ises a little, but will not cure roup The most prac¬ 
tical method of disinfecting buildings is to fumigate 
thoroughly with sulphur, closing the building tight 
and burning plenty of it inside. All air holes must 
be closed tight. Spading up the ground deep is all 
that is needed outside ; it must be thoroughly done. 
Lime will not cure gapes. Gapes come from cooping 
in shady, damp quarters, or on ground long used for 
and struggling grower in the nursery, while the York State 
prune is vigorous and upright, which was the first indication 
that the planters perceived that it was a different variety. 
CHAS. A. GREEN. 
R. N.-Y.—A picture of a basket of the prunes with 
a hen’s egg for comparison 5s shown at Fig. 31. 
DISINFECTION FOR ROUP AND GAPES. 
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF LIME ? 
1. Will the spreading of lime over the surface of the ground 
frequented by chickens affected by roup, have any beneficial 
effect in eradicating the disease? 2. What is the most practical 
method of disinfecting premises in such cases ? 3. Would the lime 
benefit in the case of gapes ? 4. Would land plaster be beneficial 
in any of these cases ? w. n. n. 
Trevose, Pa. 
Yes! Says Mr. P. H. Jacobs. 
1. Yes ; experiments made have shown that lime is 
very beneficial in destroying the germs of roup. 2. 
If disinfection by lime only is desired, it should be 
broadcasted, applying it to every square inch of sur¬ 
face, twice a week, using air-slaked stone lime. 3. 
Lime is a sure remedy for destroying gapes in the 
soil, but the lime must be used liberally and fre¬ 
quently. 4. I do not regard land plaster as possess¬ 
ing any advantage in the matter of destroying disease, 
or for disinfecting the premises. 
The Experience of 0. W. Mapes. 
I doubt the efficiency of lime in exterminating 
either roup or gapes. Roup is, undoubtedly, a germ 
disease about which we have but very slight knowl¬ 
edge, in a scientific sense. How long the germs 
will exist about premises once infested, and what is 
trees winter and summer, and in locations where the 
wind could and did blow on them both night and day, 
but no roup came. Houses having plenty of floor 
space, or containing but few hens, are usually free 
from this disease ; but where the fowls roost close to 
a rcof which shows frost cold mornings and much 
dampness when the frost melts, or where many fowls 
are crowded so thickly that the moisture from their 
breath dampens the air and ventilation is not suf¬ 
ficient, there will be trouble. The building should 
be built with a space between the outer and inner 
linings. This space should be filled with buckwheat 
hulls, light shavings or chaff, so that the inner sur¬ 
face will not show frost. The rafters should be fixed 
the same way, then with four square feet of floor 
space per hen, there should be no trouble if some dry 
absorbent be kept on the droppings. The brooders 
and coops should be sundried and cleaned every day, 
and plenty of absorbents used ; this with a proper 
number should give freedom from the scourge. I do 
not see how spreading lime on the ground would do 
any good as long as the cause is allowed to remain. 
If the proper conditions are obtained, no disinfecting 
will be necessary. I visited a noted breeder recently, 
and he showed me specimens of 80 breeds. They were 
kept in small, narrow, low houses, which were very 
warm and damp in warm weather, and frosty, chilly 
and “ smelly” when closed during cold snaps. I saw 
evidence of roup among every breed. He claimed 
that his fowls contracted the disease at the poultry 
shows. More likely his fowls carried it to the show, 
judging from the surroundings. 
Land plaster might aid in absorbing the moisture, 
but would not remedy defects in building or 
management. The gapes are caused by 
small, long, red worms in the windpipes 
of the chicks. They are hatched from an 
egg the same as the chicken. It is now 
thought that the egg or worm is thrown out 
on the floor or ground by the fowl or chick. 
If the surface be dry, the egg or worm will 
die at once. If it get into the damp soil, 
it may live some time. When picked up by 
the chick, it hatches and bores through into 
the windpipe. The remedy is to keep the 
chicks on a dry, dusty floor. The spread¬ 
ing of lime and plaster on the floor would, 
undoubtedly, kill the germ if it came in con¬ 
tact with either. The spreading of unslaked 
lime on the surface soil would be helpful if 
thoroughly done, but I do not think that 
plaster would do any good. c. e. chapman. 
class Lawrence pear ranks with a Keiffer cull.—Un¬ 
less we make friends with the commission man, he is 
worth nothing to us. I will say that, in all my deal¬ 
ings with commission men, I have usually found them 
careful and honest.—We do not realize the harm we 
do our sales by careless packing. 
Samuel Miller, Deckertown : They say that no fruit 
can come within reach of those in the gorgeous book 
of plates of the tree agents ; but in Sussex County, 
we can show you peaches that beat the “ plates” all 
hollow.—In the right location, with the right variety, 
and the right kind of care, peaches yield very hand¬ 
some returns. Indeed, few orchard, garden or field 
crops yield so large net returns for the money in¬ 
vested. Nothing pays better than thinning. Last 
year, I spent nearly the whole month of July in thin¬ 
ning peaches, and it paid me handsomely. 
L. J. Farmer, Pulaski, N. Y. : I do not believe in 
irrigation for strawberries, except in years when 
other people have no berries, say, about once in three 
years. It does not help shipping quality.—Splendid 
is a good rough-and-ready sort. I would trust some 
experiment stations with new varieties no sooner than 
I would trust a thief. 
The officers for the ensuing year are : President, 
Dr. J. B. Ward, Lyons Farms ; vice president, I. W. 
Nicholson, Camden ; secretary, Henry I. Budd, Mount 
Holly ; treasurer, Charles L. Jones, Newark. These 
were all reelected. Charles Black, of Hightstown, 
was elected the society’s delegate to the State Board 
of Agriculture, to meet the following week. The com¬ 
mittees are practically the same as before, only one 
Q r two changes having been made. The executive 
committee includes : E. P. Bebee, Elizabeth ; 
D. A. Vanderveer, Freehold ; I. J. Blackwell, 
Titusville ; J. B. Rogers, Newark, and Horace 
Roberts, Fellowship. 
