424 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 26 
The Rural New=Yorker. 
TEE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Carman. Editor-in-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Managing Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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Address all business communications and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1897. 
A Swiss pomologist exhibited last autumn a fruit 
intermediate between the apple and pear, which 
matured on an espalier apple tree in an orchard in 
the Canton Vaud in 1893 The fruit bore traces of 
both species, having the eye of an apple, while the 
stem was inserted in the oblique manner of the pear. 
The cross-breeding was accidental, like that of the 
Loganberry, several branches of the apple having 
intercrossed with those of the pear. This case is con¬ 
sidered different from simple hybridization, and what 
is termed botanically, 1 ‘xenia. ” This consists of a cross¬ 
breeding evident in the seed and fruit, though usu¬ 
ally fecundation of a flower by pollen from a different 
species results in a seed resembling that of the mother 
plant, while the plant growing from this seed has 
the characteristics of the male parent. 
O 
The past season has been too wet, in many sections, 
to give the irrigators much of a chance to show the 
value of their system. Many of them have not had 
occasion to turn the water on to the ground at all. 
In fact, they would have been glad to use their pumps 
for taking water out of the soil. We notice, how¬ 
ever, that those with whom we have talked have, 
almost without exception, enlarged the capacity of 
their irrigating plants. In spite of this wet season, 
they realized, more than ever, the importance of hav¬ 
ing a perfect supply of water on tap. There is no 
desire to give up irrigating, and the water will be 
used later in the season on grass, grain, or general 
farm crops. In fact, irrigation for the small farmer 
has come to stay, and fruit growers especially are 
coming to understand that water is just exactly as 
important as manure, if they expect to produce a per¬ 
fect crop. 
O 
Mr. Clark’s article on grass culture this week, will 
be read with interest by many farmers. We believe 
that what he says about constant and careful cultiva¬ 
tion is absolutely true. Prof. Roberts has shown time 
and time again how the latent fertility in the soil 
can be made available by constant stirring. It is a 
mistake to suppose that all this benefit is obtained 
simply by crushing or breaking up the ground. That 
is only one part of the programme. The air, the sun¬ 
light and the water play an important part in setting 
free this native plant food, and the stirring and pul¬ 
verizing enable these elements to do their best work. 
Many farmers spend hundreds of dollars for manure 
and fertilizer, and then expect the soil to utilize this 
fertility without help. The fact is that, without 
constant and thorough tillage, the soil cannot make 
effective use of the most soluble fertilizers. Mr. Clark 
is also right in saying that the old grass and weeds in 
the soil must be thoroughly killed before the new 
crop of grass can have a fair showing. We have an 
example of this fact this year in a tough sod which 
we are trying to break up for corn and reseeding. A 
part of the field was carefully prepared early in the 
season and planted to corn. Wet weather prevented 
careful culture, and now, in spite of all our efforts, 
the old grass has started until it forms almost a per¬ 
fect mat among the corn. The grass on an old sod is 
one of the hardest plants to kill out. Unless it is 
thoroughly killed, it will, in time, master the young 
grass, and the results will be more or less of a failure 
in attempting to seed down afterward. Mr. Clark has 
proved this theory in practice, and those who follow 
his methods to the letter, will be reasonably sure to 
secure a good stand of grass Some of our readers 
may say that the plan is too complicated, and requires 
too much labor. Our reply to that would be that, 
where 20 tons of hay are grown on four acres, it costs 
considerably less per ton, than when 20 tons are 
grown on 10 acres, just the same as in the case of Mr. 
Hale’s strawberry plants. The tendency of modern 
farming is to concentrate labor and fertility upon the 
best acres of the farm, and this applies to hay farm¬ 
ing as well as to any other department of farm life. 
© 
Some of the agricultural papers are just beginning 
to talk about the new feed stuff obtained by grinding 
corn stalks. This was described in The R. N.-Y. 
some months ago. As was stated then, the pith of 
the corn stalk is used for packing between the plates 
of ironclad warships. The hard shell of the stalks, 
after the pith is taken out, is ground into a fine 
powder. It can be bagged like oats or bran and will 
keep as well as any other ground feed. It is richer 
in muscle-makers than the whole corn stalk, and 
stock will eat all of it. When mixed with oil meal or 
cotton-seed meal, a balanced ration can be easily 
made up. A ton of this ground stalks will occupy but 
little more space than a ton of ensilage. We under¬ 
stand that experiments are now being made with 
cattle that are fed on this feed and the wastes of dis¬ 
tilleries, and it is proposed to sell these ground stalks 
on the general market. The chances are that it will 
have some effect in reducing the price of hay. 
© 
Last Tuesday, in Hartford, Conn., we were sur¬ 
prised to note the prices for first-class strawberries 
in the local market. Large, fine berries were selling 
at 20 and 22 cents per box, while some samples of 
small and inferior fruit brought 8 and 10 cents with¬ 
out much trouble. Of course, these were retail prices, 
and we cannot say just what the growers received. 
We noticed one lot of fruit from New Jersey which 
was retailed at 18 cents a quart. The market, evi¬ 
dently, demanded a large, high-colored, firm berry, 
and there were, evidently, a good many people in the 
city willing to pay high prices for satisfactory fruit. 
Mr. Kevitt’s experience in New Jersey is much the 
same. He has found no trouble this year in disposing 
of his fine fruit at satisfactory prices. Two of the 
points he makes are well worth remembering: Never 
put a small or inferior berry into a box that bears 
your name and guarantee. Let such rot on the 
ground rather than do that. Cultivate your loeal 
market. Get the best possible fruit, of large size and 
high color. Put it up in the most attractive package, 
and advertise it by every reasonable means. 
Q 
The orange growers of Florida are slowly getting 
their groves into working shape again. The memor¬ 
able freeze blasted the hopes of thousands, and some 
growers abandoned their groves in disgust. Others 
took a long breath and began again. The roots of 
the trees were still in the ground, and the problem 
was to utilize them to the best advantage. The 
trunks were cut off close to the ground or below the 
frost line, new sprouts started, and then new prob¬ 
lems arose as to how best to bud and develop these 
sprouts. The notes on page 420 show what some of 
the best growers are doing. The chances are that, 10 
years from now, these growers will consider the 
freeze a blessing, since it has compelled them to adopt 
new and better methods of budding, training and 
feeding their trees. There has always been a great 
temptation for the orange grower to use cotton-seed 
meal alone as a fertilizer. It is cheap and makes a 
great showing in the growth of young trees. It is 
not economical in the end, since it forces the trees 
into a quick and soft growth, for it contains an ex¬ 
cess of nitrogen. The orange is the most delicate 
feeder of any of our fruit trees, and is quickest to be 
injured by an unbalanced fertilizer. 
O 
The Connecticut Pomological Society met last Tues¬ 
day at the home of J. H. Hale. It was, probably, one 
of the most successful field meetings ever held in this 
country. There was a large attendance, much to see, 
and from the groups of enthusiastic growers noted on 
different parts of the farm, it was evident that straw¬ 
berry growing was being thoroughly discussed. Mr. 
Hale had prepared a striking display of the more im¬ 
portant varieties of strawberries. These were planted 
on a small plot of rich soil, with arrangements for 
sub-irrigation if that were needed. The plants were 
placed about 10 inches apart, with the runners re¬ 
moved so that each plant stood by itself. Clean, 
bright straw was placed over the plot so that the ber¬ 
ries could be seen to the best advantage. Forty-three 
varieties were thus shown, and the result of this 
painstaking care was astonishing. The question 
naturally arose after viewing this wonderful display 
of fruit, “ Why cannot one prepare acres of such 
fruit as well as a small plot ? ” Careful estimate of 
the yield of this plot would show the enormous pos¬ 
sibilities of an acre cultivated with equal skill. Here 
were shown the possibilities of the soil in strawberry 
culture, and it is probable that at least half of the 
growers present went home determined to practice 
this method on a larger or smaller area. It is an ex¬ 
cellent thing to show, in this way, the possibilities of 
a small piece of land. That is what American farm¬ 
ing is coming to. We have been scattering our efforts 
over too much space. We must condense operations 
and make a patch produce what the acre has formerly 
given us. Mr. Hale’s experiment was a remarkably 
striking one, and now, if some enterprising grower 
will show us the possibilities of a whole acre pre¬ 
pared in this way, he will do a great service to 
American horticulture. 
© 
Farmers living near New York often have trouble 
with the employment agents who furnish hired hands. 
One of our New Jersey readers recently went to an 
office on Greenwich street to hire a man. He paid $2 
as a fee. The man worked 14 days and then left. 
The farmer went back to the agent, who stated that, 
when a man did not fill his full month out, he could 
lawfully collect §1 extra, which he proceeded to do. 
The farmer, therefore, paid $3 without securing his 
man. In order to learn the exact rights of farmers 
in such matters, we sent a copy of this farmer’s state¬ 
ment to the District Attorney of New York. Here is 
his reply : 
The matter of intelligence offices in New York City is regulated 
by special legislation, viz.: Chapter 330 of the Laws of 1891, en¬ 
titled, “An act to regulate the keeping of intelligence offices, em¬ 
ployment agencies or other places where a fee is charged for the 
procuring of employment or situations in the city of New York.” 
Among other provisions, the act declares that “ every keeper of 
such intelligence office ... Is hereby required to give to each 
person from whom they accept a fee a receipt stating the amount 
so paid, . . . and in case the applicant fails to procure . . . 
said employment, then said intelligence-office keeper shall refund 
the full amount of such fee paid; , and every intelligence- 
office keeper is required to give the employer a guarantee to fur¬ 
nish a servant for at least one month for a fee paid, and in case 
of failure to furnish such servant, such intelligence-office keeper 
must refund to the employer the full amount of such fee paid.” 
According to the facts stated in your correspondent’s letter, it 
would appear that instead of refunding the fee as by law re¬ 
quired, the agency made the failure of the employee to continue 
a pretext for another charge against the employer. If such is 
the case, a complaint should be lodged with the Mayor of this 
city, who, under the statute above referred to, has power to 
revoke the license. 
There is another provision of law, contained in the Consolida¬ 
tion Act, yvhich gives to the Superintendent of Police, and cap¬ 
tains within their precincts, power of general police supervision 
and inspection over intelligence offices. 
Respectfully yours, 
W. M. K. Olcott, District Attorney. 
Farmers who have dealings with these employment 
agents will do well to remember these facts. It is 
said that some of these alleged hired men are repeat¬ 
ers who “ accept positions ” again and again, only to 
remain a few days, and then get back to the agency 
for another fee. A few complaints made to Mayor 
Strong would soon weaken this game. 
Q 
BREVITIES 
“ You’re loudly screaming, Mr. Wheel, 
You make shrill music on your axle; 
I prithee tell me why you squeal, 
For I am very sure the fact’ll 
Be full of value to the men 
And horses, too, who fall in panics 
And lose their grip and courage when 
Old friction grips up their mechanics.” 
Then William Wheel groaned sad and slow, 
“ My very spokes and hub are boiling, 
Because my driver cannot know 
The virtues of a little oiling. 
He breaks his harness, strains his team, 
His loads are constantly decreasing; 
My throat is sore—I have to scream, 
All for the lack of proper greasing. 
I may not take the proper way, 
Perhaps I do not use good diction, 
But this is what I want to say, 
‘Good grease is stronger far than friction.’ ” 
More rain—more rust. 
Sprayed fruit for cold storage. 
A “try”-state—working in the sun ! 
Early peaches for Georgia—page 428. 
A pretty pickle—the Mary strawberry. 
A scientific discussion for celery—page 428. 
Scratch over the ground. It is like a latch to hold in the water. 
The corn crop is late all through the East. Maize cannot stand 
wet feet or wet Mays. 
A hobby is all right if you can make it spell ideal, and put 
yeast into it to raise it. 
But a few years and you will be but a memory. You are mak¬ 
ing the flavor of that memory now. 
A sharp frost and a keen disk harrow will kill almost anything 
—but Crimson clover endured the strain—see page 422. 
Is Mr. Kevitt, page 425, the first man to wrap boxes of strawber¬ 
ries in parchment paper ? If not, who is first ? Speak up 1 
The R. N.-Y. boomed Crimson clover, but after all is writ and 
said, it most resembles common clover, because you see—it’s 
always read. 
Try a small patch of Dwarf Essex rape as an experiment. Re¬ 
member that you cannot make it into hay. You must feed it 
before it wilts. 
That question about silo or soiling on page 430 is an interesting 
one. There is considerable cost and trouble about seeding and 
cutting crop after crop. If it can be cut once and stored in the 
silo, there will be a great gain. 
