208 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 27 
and grass that the sweep has missed. During the 
season, if plants are scarce, cuttings 10 inches long 
may be taken from the ends of the vines, and set 
out as plants ; they will be found to make potatoes as 
quick as plants set at the same time, and every cutting 
will grow. 
Harvesting. —Here is where the Bunch yam scores 
one of its big advantages over the vine varieties, as 
the tubers can be harvested as easily as a crop of 
white potatoes. No dragging off vines or other prepa¬ 
ration is necessary ; just hitch two mules to a good 
potato digger or a Brinly steel shovel, go down under 
the potatoes the first furrow, and turn the ridge inside 
out. Don’t throw the potatoes across two or three 
rows into piles, but let two men take a box holding 
1% bushel and with hand holes in the ends, go over 
the row and pick up until full, when it is left, and 
another one taken and filled as before. The small 
potatoes can be left by the first pickers and picked 
up by other pickers when it is desired to store the 
small ones separate from the large ones. Load these 
boxes into the wagon and haul to the cellar and 
empty without any unnecessary handling. Don’t pour 
the potatoes into the wagon bed and grab them out 
again at the cellar, bruising nearly every potato. 
Storing and Winter Care. —Here comes the most 
important part of sweet-potato growing. My cellars 
are all 16 x 32 feet, built on top of the soil, with 12- 
inch-wide plank double walls, with a 10-inch space be¬ 
tween filled with dry sawdust. The dirt floor is filled 
in about one foot to secure perfect drainage. The 
potatoes are stored in bulk, about three to four feet 
deep all over the house, put directly on the soil, and 
with nothing over them but the ceiling and roof and 
one foot deep of sawdust on top of the ceiling. It is 
imperative to have a door in each end of the house, 
and keep these doors open at all times, day and night, 
when the thermometer is at or above 45 degrees F. 
When the temperature goes below this, close the 
doors and keep them closed until the temperature 
again gets right, when the doors should be opened to 
ventilate and dry out the damp air. 
Arkansas. WILLIAM T. simpson. 
The Farmers’ Club. 
[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 paper.l 
Some Facts About Quince Culture. 
F. W. II., Savannah, N. Y .—Some writers in farm papers advise 
the setting of quinces, saying that there is always a market for 
the fruit at a fair price. Local dealers here say not to set them, 
as there is no market for the fruit. What are the facts of the 
case ? 
Ans. —Of course, no one can say what the market 
for quinces will be five years from now when trees 
set now will commence to bear. But I have been 
growing and selling quinces in a small way for 12 
years, and I never have sold for less than SI per 
bushel and sometimes nearer $2. In the fall of 1895, 
local dealers offered 60 cents and, finally, 75 cents per 
bushel. A Baltimore man came here to buy my 
apples, saw the quinces on the trees, and bought them 
at $4 25 per barrel. I had enough faith in quinces to 
set over 1,100 trees last spring, but I would advise no 
one to set quinces unless he is willing to give them 
the best of culture. He must prune, fertilize, dig 
borers and spray. e. c. g. 
New York. 
Young Trees in Old Orchard. 
i R. N. L., Vail, N. .7.—Would it make any difference if I should 
set out a young orchard in the old one ? 
Ans.— If there are many old apple trees standing, it 
will be difficult to get young ones to do well among 
them, and I would advise, in such case, to set in a new 
place. In any case, the young trees must be well 
cared for ; and the one who is to set the orchard must 
use his judgment as to whether or not he has a fair 
chance to give them plenty of room and thorough 
cultivation. H. e. v. d. 
Budded or Root-Grafted Trees. 
F. E. G., Couse, N. Y. —1. Which are better, budded or root- 
grafted trees? 2 What varieties of plums are the most profit¬ 
able for market, and the most free from the black-knot ? 3. Is 
a heavy clay loam well adapted for plums and pears V 
Ans. —1. It makes little difference, m my opinion, 
whether apple trees be budded or root-grafted, pro¬ 
vided the trees have good roots when ready to trans¬ 
plant. I have seen very poorly-rooted trees grown in 
both ways. Small pieces of roots often make very 
good trees when well cared for and set in good soil, 
but I prefer large, healthy, six-inch top cuts of apple 
seedlings upon which to set the scion. Longer than 
that, in my experience, is not a whit better; and I 
have tried all lengths, from one inch to twelve. 2. If 
plums of the European class are meant, then plant 
Grand Duke, Fellenberg and Reine Claude. But 
there are other classes of plums that do well in New 
York. Among the Japans, the Burbank, Red June 
and Hale are very good. Of the natives, some of 
which are very prolific and sell well because of their 
brilliant red color, it would be wise to choose 
Whitaker, American Eagle, Milton and Ocheeda. 3. 
Yes, heavy clay loam, if well manured and tilled, is 
good for plums and pears. h. e. y. d. 
Wild Cherry Trees for Grafting. 
C. IV. It., lladdonjield, N. J .—Last fall, I saw a lot of wild 
cherry trees along the woods, dug them up and set a row along a 
back fence. They were not the regular wild cherry, but a sort of 
Red Heart. Could they be grafted with good cherries this spring 
by cutting off two or three feet from the ground, and what would 
be the best fruit to graft into them ? 
Ans. —The little cherry trees were, probably, of the 
Mazzard type. This kind of stock is good for graft¬ 
ing to almost any of the varieties of the Duke, Heart 
or Bigarreau types, such as are usually called “sweet” 
cherries. h. e. v. d. 
Currant Culture for Virginia. 
II. R. S., Bunn Loring, Va .— 1. What variety of red currant 
would you advise me to plant in northern Virginia ? There is 
practically, none raised here. I would like a large, bright sort. 
2. How would it do to plant them in a young apple orchard ? 
Would shade be a benefit to the currants ? The trees are 24 x 24 
feet apart. 
Ans —1. Red Dutch is, all things considered, about 
the best red currant to grow. Victoria is a little later 
in ripening, but the leaves are more likely to with¬ 
stand the hot suns of Virginia. 2. Currants do very 
well among apple trees in the orchard fora few years, 
but the trees soon need all the room, and the currant 
bushes should not have to be dug out just as they are 
getting into good bearing condition. When close 
enough to the trees to get any benefit from their 
shade, the apple roots will rob those of the currant. 
Plant in good ground by themselves and cultivate 
thoroughly, keeping a dust mulch over their roots, 
and then mulch with coarse manure nearly under the 
bushes. This would give them the best possible 
chance to develop in the rather warm climate of 
Virginia. Currants love a cool, moist climate, h e v. d. 
Plants for Shady Places. 
W. R., Providence , R. I .— We have an angle of ground formed 
by our buildings and a border connected with it, where, owing to 
the shade, we cannot get anything to grow. The trees, outside 
the pathway, are oak and chestnut, quite large, and to these is 
the shade, in large measure, attributable, though no sun can 
reach the situation at all until some time past noon, owing to 
the buildings. The plot lies under the windows of some of our 
most used rooms. The soil is naturally light and sandy, but we 
can make it most anything, as it is not a large plot. Seeds of 
plants the catalogues said would grow in the shade, have proved 
delusions. One puny elderberry shrub, and a few ferns trans¬ 
planted from banks and woods, maintain a sickly, unsatisfac¬ 
tory existence. What shall we sow or plant there ? 
Ans. —We would suggest the following plants which, 
at the Rural Grounds, do not seem to care whether 
they grow in the shade or in the sun: Rhododen¬ 
drons, Kalmia latifolia, Privets, Actinidia arguta, the 
Climbing hydrangea, Akebia quinata, Yucca filamen- 
tosa and vincas. 
Blackberry Root-Cuttings. 
0. P. II., Ridley, Ont. —What is the best way to propagate black¬ 
berries from root-cuttings ? 
Ans. —Blackberry root-cuttings should be made in 
autumn, by digging up good, healthy roots about the 
size of a lead pencil, cutting into lengths of about 
three inches, and mixing with damp sand ; then keep 
in the cellar or bury in a dry place below frost. The 
cuttings should be planted in wide, flat trenches, 
about two inches deep, when growth begins in spring. 
By making the trench a foot wide, the cuttings can 
be placed three or four inches apart each way, and 
form a wide, matted row. By making the root-cut- 
tings as soon as the frost is out of the ground, mixing 
with sand and keeping in a warm place until growth 
begins, or until the ground is warm, most of them 
will grow, although not so well as those made in the 
autumn. w. w. hilborn. 
Fertilizing Plums; Uucut Ensilage. 
C. 0. U., Colorado. —1. What variety of plum is best to top-graft 
a leader to fertilize the Marianna as suggested for Wild Goose on 
page 101 ? 2. Can I make ensilage of Alfalfa and corn without a 
cutter ? 
Ans. —1. It is rather difficult to find a native plum 
that blooms as early as the Marianna (which, how¬ 
ever, is not native, but at first was thought to be), but 
De Caradeuc is of that character. We have never 
seen the two growing together, and, therefore, do not 
know of the practical results. The Japan varieties 
bloom as early as Marianna, and we think that they 
will poll inize it. 2. We doubt whether you can make 
good ensilage of uncut corn and Alfalfa. Who can 
say? 
Fertilizers for a Peach Orchard. 
B. M. W., Quincy, Pa .— I wish to fertilize 40 acres of bearing 
peach trees. I have arranged for kainit and S. C. rock. Would 
you recommend any fertilizer in preference to these ? Our soil is 
sandy, with clay subsoil. We are at the very foot of a mountain 
range, and iron ore deposits abound. Would it be best to broad¬ 
cast this mixture as early this spring as possible, and so leave it 
until about the middle of May, when I commence bar-shear plow¬ 
ing and cultivating with a spring-tooth harrow ? Or should I 
wait and sow it on immediately before plowing, and thereby turn 
it under? Or should it be sown immediately after plowing and 
be harrowed in? 
Ans. —The peach orchard will need nitrogen in 
some form. This is not supplied in the kainit and 
dissolved rock. You can, probably, supply most of 
the nitrogen by growing, each year, a crop of peas or 
clover and plowing it in. Unless you do this, you 
would better use muriate of potash and fine ground 
bone. This will give you an excellent fertilizer for 
the trees. We prefer the muri ate to the kainit. If 
you use the mixture you speak of, we would certainly 
sow peas this spring or Crimson clover in the middle 
of summer. We never advise vlowivg chemicals into 
the soil. We would -broadcast them after plowing 
and harrow in. 
How to Make and Use Bordeaux Mixture. 
J. M., Rockford, III. —What is the most convenient method of 
mixing Bordeaux Mixture for the prevention of potato blight? 
What are the proportions of the various ingredients, and the 
proper time to spray potatoes in order to prevent blight ? 
Would the mixture be liable to clog in an ordinary knapsack 
sprayer with Vermorel nozzle ? If so, how can it be prevented ? 
ANSWERED BY M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
Place four pounds of fresh, unslaked lime in a con¬ 
venient receptacle, and add at first only a small amount 
of water, preferably hot, and then, as slaking begins, 
add cold water in small amounts as needed, never 
adding much at a time nor ever allowing the lime 
to become dry. When too much water is added, small 
lumps of lime are likely to be covered and re¬ 
main unslaked. When the lime is fully slaked, it 
should be diluted with water slowly while stirring ; 
four pounds of lime is the quantity usually given in 
the formula, but large amounts may be properly 
slaked as above directed and kept in a barrel as a 
“ stock solution,” if it be kept covered with water. 
Next dissolve six pounds of copper sulphate in about 
six gallons of water. This must be done in a wooden 
or earthen dish, and can be the most quickly accom¬ 
plished if the sulphate be suspended in a bag or basket 
in the top of the water. The sulphate may be also 
conveniently dissolved in large quantities in barrels 
and kept as a “ stock solution ” to be drawn upon as 
needed. It is advisable to dissolve the sulphate at 
the rate of one pound in one gallon of water, so that, 
when one dips out a gallon of the solution, he knows 
that he is getting one pound of the sulphate. To get 
the best results, these two ingredients should be mixed 
together in a certain way. Let us suppose that we 
are making a barrel (50 gallons) of Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture. Slake the required four pounds of lime prop¬ 
erly, and pour it all into the barrel; then add water 
until the barrel is nearly half full. Dip out six gal¬ 
lons (containing six pounds) of copper sulphate solu¬ 
tion from your “ stock ” barrel into another barrel, 
and dilute the six gallons with nearly half a barrel 
of water. Now pour the diluted half barrel of sul¬ 
phate into the half barrel of lime, and stir constantly 
while adding. If stronger solutions of the lime and 
sulphate are mixed, a coarser grained Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture will result which will, also, settle sooner, thus 
requiring more stirring and being more liable to clog 
the nozzle in spraying. 
Bordeaux Mixture made in the manner described 
above, can be sprayed from a knapsack sprayer 
through a Vermorel nozzle with little or no danger 
of its clogging. When to spray potatoes to prevent 
blight will depend upon whether they were planted 
early or late, and whether they are attacked by the 
early or the late blight. The early blight usually 
appears in early potatoes in July, and continues to 
work on the vines during the rest of the season. The 
late blight or potato rot usually does not appear until 
August, sometimes not until September. Bordeaux 
Mixture, as made according to the above directions, 
is the best preventive of these fungous diseases. The 
first application should be made before the disease 
appears on the vines. For the early blight, it will be 
necessary to make three applications at intervals of 
a week or 10 days, beginning about July 15, perhaps 
earlier. For the late blight, the first application may 
be delayed a little later, perhaps about August 1. 
It will, also, take about three or four applications to 
control the late blight. It is unfortunate that we 
have to get at the Colorado potato beetle with Paris- 
green before it is usually necessary to spray with the 
Bordeaux Mixture for the blights, else the two mix¬ 
tures might be combined, and “ two birds be killed 
with one shot ” with the spray. 
Sheep Pasture ; Sweet Corn for Soiling. 
C. A. G., Lyons,N. Y. —1. I want some sheep pasture as early as 
I can get it. Where can I get the seed, and what kind is best ? 
When, and how much seed shall I sow to the acre ? 2. I wish to 
grow an acre of sweet or field corn for soiling milch cows. I want 
it as early as I can get it, and want it to last until my general 
field corn is matured. What varieties shall I plant, and at what 
intervals, for five cows ? 
Ans. —1. For early sheep pasture, three bushels of 
rye per acre might be sown on freshly-plowed land. 
After it is harrowed or drilled in, four pounds of 
Timothy, two pounds of Alsike and two pounds of 
Medium clover per acre might be sown. Unless the 
land is clayey, roll after the seeds are sown. Sow 
the rye and seeds as early as possible. The rye will 
furnish some pasture, though not of the best kind. 
It should not be pastured too closely, neither should 
