1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
573 
How to Grow Mushrooms. 
(CONTINUKD.) 
prepared manure on top. The whole 
bed must be packed very firmly. A 
little hay or straw is placed over the 
surface, to arrest steam, and is then left 
until the temperature has fallen below 
100 degrees, 90 degrees being considered 
the best temperature for spawning. 
The spawn, broken into pieces, is then 
planted in rows about one foot apart, 
the pieces nine inches apart in the rows. 
The spawn is inserted two to three inches 
and firmly covered. The surface of the 
bed is then covered with straw or mats, 
and left for eight or nine days, when the 
mulch is removed, and a covering of fine 
loam, two inches deep, is put all over 
the bed. This gives the mushrooms a 
firm hold, and also improves their tex¬ 
ture. An atmospheric temperature of 
55 to 60 degrees is most favorable. If 
the atmosphere be dry, the walls and 
paths are sprinkled with water. 
The diseases of mushrooms are, fog¬ 
ging off, flock, and black spot. Fogging 
off is softening, wilting, and dying off 
of young mushrooms ; the cause is un¬ 
known. In such case, the affected 
mushrooms should be rubbed out, and 
the spot top-dressed with loam, with a 
pinch of saltpeter in it. Flock is a 
white mold running over the gills, weld¬ 
ing them into a mass. No remedy is 
known. Black spot shows on the top of 
the cap, and is caused by a host of min¬ 
ute Eel-worms. Among insects attack¬ 
ing mushrooms, maggots are the worst, 
and their presence makes it impossible 
to grow mushrooms in summer, except 
in caves, to which the flies cannot obtain 
access. Slugs and Sow-bugs attack 
mushrooms, but they may be controlled 
by trapping. 
THE PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL 
SCIENCE. 
The 16th annual meeting of the Society for the 
Promotion of Agricultural Science was held in 
Detroit, August 11 and 12. Although the number 
of members in attendance was less than usual, 
the programme was varied and Interesting. The 
officers of the society who have conducted its 
affairs for the past two years, are: Prof. Wm. 
R. Lazenby, president; Prof. C. S. Plumb, secre¬ 
tary, and Dr. L. O. Howard, third member of the 
executive committee. While the object of this 
society, as its name indicates, is the promotion 
of agricultural science, members are constantly 
reminded that the ideal of the organization, as 
far as its annual meeting is concerned, can be 
reached only by making all papers presented 
adhere closely to original work, and truly scien¬ 
tific methods and results, without unnecessary 
argument or illustration. In other words, this 
organization is made up of workers in various 
branches of science that bear directly upon the 
farmer’s art. The 60 members who compose the 
society consist of chemists, botanists, physiolo¬ 
gists, veterinarians, entomologists, besides agri¬ 
culturists and horticulturists. One-fourth of the 
members are experiment-station directors, and 
all are men of recognized standing in the world 
of science. 
Among the papers presented, one that elicited 
much discussion was by Prof. W. J. Beal, of the 
Michigan Agricultural College. The subject was, 
Notes Gleaned by an Experience in Managing a 
Weed Garden. For about 10 years past, the 
botanical department of the Michigan Agricul¬ 
tural College has maintained a “ weed garden,” 
and for some years past, has grown 100 species 
or more of the most troublesome weeds of the 
State. These weeds are grown in plots five or 
six feet square, each plot being plainly labeled 
with both the common and scientific names. This 
weed garden is very instructive to students and 
visitors, and is especially helpful to the teacher 
who designed and manages it. Here resort most 
of the agricultural students, where they observe 
the habits of the various weeds, and make col¬ 
lections of seeds for immediate and for future 
study. All experience proves that such a garden 
is especially appropriate at an agricultural col¬ 
lege or experiment station. Prof. Beal stated 
that a teacher in the State Normal School was so 
much impressed with such a garden as a means 
of education, that forthwith he secured a suit¬ 
able spot and started one for the benefit of his 
students. 
The experience of Prof. Beal in connection with 
many of the weeds has been different from that 
of others, so much depending upon the particu¬ 
lar locality, the exposure, and the nature of the 
soil. The land used slopes to the south, and about 
one-half of it is hard clay. The perennial and 
biennial weeds have remained each in the same 
plot for the most part, and the annuals have 
been self-seeding. As every experimenter has 
observed, where the weeds are at all crowded, 
those individual plants around the margin of the 
plots are larger than those near the middle. As 
might be expected, seeds of many of the weeds 
find their way Into surrounding plots, there to 
contest the space with others, or to make trouble 
for the person who tends the garden. It is in¬ 
structive to note how much better many of these 
plants thrive when they getaway from the spot 
where they have been confined for several years. 
For example, Barnyard grass (Panicum) grew 
finely for a couple of years, and then had a hard 
time of it, growing better in the plot of Long¬ 
leaved plantain (Plantago) than it did in its own. 
The common Ground mallow roots deeply about 
rubbish piles and in rich, mellow soil, but it is 
on'y grown with difficulty in a weed garden. 
Knot-grass (Polygonum) grows near the foot 
path, about the rear doors of dwellings, often on 
fine lawns. It seems to thrive with abuse, often 
doing the best where much tramped upon. It is, 
however, a difficult weed to grow in plots. Insects 
prey upon it, and rust causes it to dwindle and 
disappear. Some seeds of Chess or Cheat (Bro- 
mus) were sown in the spring of 1896, and made 
a stout growth, but without the sign of a panicle. 
Part of it winterkilled. In the autumn of 1896, 
more seed was sown ad joi ning that sown in the 
spring. On June 25 of this year, the panicles of 
both lots were of the same height and size, and 
there cannot be two days’ difference in the time 
of flowering. This seems to prove that the habit 
of this plant is well fixed, so that it requires an 
autumn, a winter and a spring, with a little of 
early summer, to run its course. 
Prof. C. P. Gillette of the Colorado Agricultural 
College, presented a short, but instructive paper 
on Weight of Bees and the Loads They Carry. In it 
was given a table showing the results of different 
series of careful weighing of bees. Among the in¬ 
teresting facts brought out, was that the honey 
bee does not gather loads of honey and pollen at 
the same time. In hundreds oPexaminations, no 
pollen-bearing bee was ever found heavily laden 
with honey. They simply seemed to carry enough 
honey for a lunch. Another was that the honey- 
carriers return to the hive a trifle mire than 
one-half heavier than when they leave it, while 
the pollen-carriers, on the .average, increase their 
weight only about one-tenth by the loads they 
carry. A strict comparison of the pollen loads 
with the honey loads will show that the former 
are only about one-fourth as heavy as the latter. 
So the pollen-gatherers are doing the light work, 
so far as they are concerned, in carrying the 
loads to the hive. 
Upon the subject of Notes on the Growth of 
Forest Trees, Prof. W. R Lazenby of the Ohio 
State University said, in substance, that the 
growing of forest trees and the preservation, 
improvement and extension of our existing wood 
land is a matter of signal importance to every 
citizen. The rapid and reckless destruction of 
our timber trees, without any effort to restore the 
loss, is compelling those who come after us to pay 
for necessary wood and lumber, many times the 
cost at which we might and should have grown 
it. This improvidence is beginning seriously to 
affect our economic conditions. Perhaps we are 
not justified in saying that our climate has 
materially changed during the last 50 years. 
Possibly, the average annual rainfall of the 
different States of the union is about the same as 
it was one-half century ago. Be this as it may, 
we are certain that our springs are failing, our 
creeks and rivers are becoming more and more 
irregular in their flow, floods are more common, 
and droughts appear to be more frequent, more 
severe and more protracted. It can be laid down 
as a general proposition that no tiller of the soil 
has any moral right to cultivate more ground 
than he can maintain or increase the fertility of. 
State dairy, half-firkin tubs, fanoy . 
Flnta. 
Beoondi . 
Welsh tubs, fanoy. 
Welsh tubs, seconds to firsts.... 
Western imitation oreamery, extras 
Firsts . 
Seconds. 
Western factory, extra.. 
Firsts. 
Seconds. 
Thirds.. 
CHEESE—NEW. 
State, full cream, large, choice. 
Good to prime. 
Part skims, good to prime. 
Part skims, common to fair. 
Full skims. 
,16 
@15* 
13 
@14 
11 
@12 
15 
@- 
11 
@14 
12 
@13 
.11 
@— 
. 9*010 
.im an 
.iu @- 
. 9 @ 9* 
. 7*@ m 
SH9- 
7*@ 8 
4*@ 5 
3 @ 4 
3 a 3 
HGGS. 
Near-by,new laid,fanoy, seleoted.per do* 17® — 
State&Penn.,country marks,aver’ge best 16 @ — 
Western, oholce. 14*@ 1616 
Other Western, fair to good, 30 doz case.2 70 @3 60 
Western dirties, 30 doz case.2 00 @2 70 
Western checks, per 30-doz case.1 50 @2 10 
FRUITS—DRIED. 
Apples, evaporated, 1896, fancy, per lb. e]4® 616 
Choice, 1896, per lb. 6 @ 616 
Prime, 1896, per lb. b%@ 6 
Common, per lb. 4 @ 5 
N. C., Bundried, 1896, sliced, fanoy.— @— 
Southern, sundrled. oommon to oholce ..— in¬ 
state, sundried, quarters. 3 @ 316 
Chopped, 1896, per lb. 116® 156 
Cores and skins. 1896, per lb. 2 ® 2t.( 
Peaches, Sundrled, 1896, peeled, per lb.— @— 
Cherries, 1897, per lb.10 @ — 
Blackberries, 1897, per lb. 3!6@ 4 
Raspberries, evaporated, 1897, per lb.11)6@12 
Sundrled, per lb.— @— 
Huokleberrles, 1896, per lb . 6 ® 7 
Plums, Southern Damson. 1895, per lb.— @— 
FRUITS—GREEN 
Apples, D'hess of O'burg, hd-pkd, d. h.. bbl.2 CO02 2b 
Astrschan, per bbl.2 0J@2 fO 
Cod ing, band-picked, per bbl.1 50@2 00 
20-oz Pippin, hand-picked, per bbl.I 7o@2 CO 
Holland Pippin, per d. h bol .... .15002 00 
Orange Pippin, hand-picked, per bbl...l 2601 50 
Open Heads, per bbl. 7(@1 25 
Peaches, Mo., fancy, per oarrler .2 00@ — 
Md. and Del., per crate. 5001 25 
Md and Del., per carrier.1 0001 50 
Md. and Del., per basket. 30@l 00 
Jersey, per basket. . 20@ 75 
Pears, Baitlett, Jersey, per bbl.1 00@2 60 
Bartlett, Up-River. per bbl. .1 0002 00 
Clapp’s Favorite, Up-River, per bbl ....1 25@2 00 
Bell, per bbl .1 2501 60 
Cooking varieties, rer bbl.1 00@l 25 
Grapes, N. C., Del., fancy, per carrier.2 25@2 60 
N. C., Dal., ordinary, per carrier. 75@l 25 
N. C., Niagara, fancy, per oarrler.1 60 0 — 
N. C , Niagara o-dinary . 7a@t 00 
Md. and De ., Moore's Early, per carr’r. 75® 90 
Up-River, ham Ron, per carrier . 60@ 65 
Up-River, Moore's Early, per carrier...1 25@1 75 
Up-River, Delaware, per case.1 50®l 75 
Plums, Botan. per carrier . .1 00@1 25 
Botin. per 10-lb basket. 15® 25 
Botan, per qua-1 . 5® 6 
Green, per quart. 3® 5 
Biackberr es. fancy, large, per quart. 7® 8 
Poo-to fair, per quart. 4® 6 
Huckleberries, State & I’a., M'ntain, p. qt.. 4® 7 
Jersey, per quart 4® 6 
Watermelons, usual qua'ities, car-load.75 000150 CO 
Usual qualit.i»8. per ICO. 6 00®15 10 
Muskme\on8. Hacsensack. per bbl. 2 00@3 00 
8outh Jersey. Gem & J. L., per bbl ... 75@2 50 
Monmouth County, Nutmeg, per bbl. ... 75®1 00 
Mon. Co. Gem & J. L., per bol.1 60®2 50 
Md. & De ., G & J. L., per carrier. 30@l 00 
Balt.. Cantaloupe, per bbl. 7.® I 00 
Norfolk, Christina per bbl. 1 00®1 50 
Norfolc, Gem & J. L., per bbl . 50@1 00 
Norfolk, ordinary kinds, per bbl. 60® 75 
GRAIN. 
Wheat.i.93 ®96 
Rye.44 @50 
Barley feeding.28 ®32 
Barley malting.39 @40 
Buckwheat, silver. 35 @37 
Buckwheat, Japan.35 @37 
Corn.33 @ - 
Oats.23 @— 
GRASS SEED. 
Clover, per 100 lbs. 6 50® 9 00 
Timothy. 2 85® 4 00 
HONEY. 
State, white olover, comb, fancy, per lb. 9 @10 
Buckwheat, comb, per lb. 6 @ 7 
White olover, extracted, per lb. 456® 5)6 
Buckwheat, extracted, per lb. 3J6@ 4 
California, comb, fair to prime, per lb.— @— 
Extracted, per lb. 6 @5)6 
Southern, in bulk, per gallon.50 @— 
As an economic question, it is fairly demon¬ 
strated that, in proportion as the soil deterior¬ 
ates, the struggle is against the cultivator. 
Just what effect trees have upon soil and 
climate is not fully understood. History shows 
that maximum crops can be produced only where 
not less than 20 per cent or one-fifth of the whole 
area of the country is devoted to trees. When the 
total area of tree growth falls below this amount, 
the aggregate production decreases in a some¬ 
what proportional ratio. 
During the meeting of the society, 15 papers 
were read. At the annual business meeting, four 
new members were elected. These are Prof. F. 
MEATS—DRESSED. 
Vealfl, oountry dressed, prime, per lb.... 9)6* — 
Fair to good, per lb. 7 @ 9 
Buttermilks, per lb. 6)6® 7 
Small, per lb. 6 @ 7 
Pork, country dressed,60 to 80 lbs., per lb 6 @ 6)6 
80 to 120 lbs., per lb. 5)60 6 
125 lbs and up, per lb. 4)60 6% 
NUTS. 
Peanuts, Va., h. p., fanoy, per lb. 8 H® 4 
H. p., extra, per lb. 2%® 3 
Shelled, No. 1, per lb. 3 @ 3)6 
No. 2, per lb. 2)6® — 
Spanish, shelled, new. No. 1, per lb .. 5)6@ — 
POTATOES. 
Long Island and Jersey, per bbl.1 25@2 03 
Southern Yellow, sweet, per bbl.1 50@1 75 
M. Webster, of the Ohio Experiment Station, 
Prof. H. W. Rowlee, of the Cornell University, 
Dr. E. F. Smith, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C., and Prof. B. M. Duggar, of 
Cornell University. 
The officers elected for the ensuing year are: 
Prof. B. D. Halsted, New Brunswick, N. J., presi¬ 
dent; Prof. C. S. Plumb, Lafayette, Ind., secre¬ 
tary and treasurer, and Prof. W. R. Lazenby, 
Columbus, O., third member of the executive 
committee. The membership of the society is 
limited to 100, and members are admitted only on 
invitation. The next meeting will be held in Bos¬ 
ton during August, 1898. w. R. l. 
MARKETS. 
SATURDAY. AUGUST 21, 1897. 
BEANS AND PEAS. 
Beans, Marrow, oholoe.1 40@1 42 
Medium, choice...1 25@ — 
Pea, choice.120® — 
Medium or Pea, common to good.1 03@1 15 
White Kidney, oholce.1 40® — 
Red Kidney, choice.2 U0@ — 
Red Kidney, common to good.1 50@l 85 
Black Turtle soup.1 90@ — 
Yellow Eye choice.1 20® — 
Lima. Cal., 760 lbs).1 36@1 40 
Green peas, Scotch, 1896, bols., per bushel.. .87)6@ 90 
Bags, per bushel.82)6® — 
BUTTER—NEW. 
Oiatmery, Weiterc, extra*, per lb .17)6 2— 
Western, firsts.it )6 216)6 
Western, seoonds.13)6 214)6 
Western, thirds.D* 013* 
State, finest.17 @17)6 
State, thirds to firsts.11 @16)6 
POULTRY—LIVE. 
Spring chickens, per lb. 10 @ H 
Fowls, looal, per lb. 9)6® — 
Western, per lb. 9*0 — 
Southern, per lb. 9)6 4 — 
Roosters, old, per lb. 6)6® — 
Turkeys, mixed, per lb. 9 ® 10 
Ducks, local, per pair. 40 @ 70 
Western, per pair. 40 @ 55 
Southern, per pair. 40 0 — 
Geese, fattened, per pair.1 25 @ — 
Western, per pair.1 00 @1 12 
Southern, per pair. 76 ® 90 
Pigeons, old, per pair. 20 @ — 
Young, per pair. 10 0 15 
DRESSED POULTRY. 
Turkeys, average best, per lb. 9 © 10 
Broilers, Phlla., 3 lbs and under to pair. 9 @ 12 
Phlla., 3)6 lbs and over to pair, per lb 13 @ 14 
Western, per lb . 8 @ 12 
Fowls, 8tate & Penn., good to prime. 10 @ — 
Western, prime, per lb. 9)6® 10 
Western, fair to good. 8 @ 9 
Old oooks. per lb. 6 @ 6 
Ducks. Eastern spring, per lb. 11 @ 12 
Geese, Eastern. 16 @ — 
Squabs, tame, white, per do*.1 60 @1 75 
Mixed lots, per do*.1 12 @1 25 
Dark and poor, per do*. 76 @1 00 
ESlXTi 
AND FODDER-CUTTERSof allsizes, 
positively the best, Carriers to match. For 
full information 
about these, also 
best ii orse- 
power, Thresher, 
Fan n i n g-mill. 
Feed-mill, Rye 
Thresher and 
Binder, S a te¬ 
rn ac hi ne (cir¬ 
cular and drag). 
Dog-power, Land-roller,” Steam-engine, Round-silo, 
AcWress, CEO. D. HARDER, Coblesklll, N. Y. 
Please tell what you wish to purchase. 
VEGETABLES. 
Beets, local, per 100 bunohes.1 00® — 
Cabbage. Jersey and L. I., per 100.2 00@2 60 
Ca-rots, local, per lOu.1 00@1 60 
Cauliflower, per bbl. —® — 
Celery, fancy, large, per doz. 30® — 
Small to medium, per doz. 10® 25 
Corn, Jersey, per 100 . .1 00@1 60 
Cuoumoers, Jersey, per bushelcbox. 20@ 40 
Jersey, per bbl. 5C@1 25 
Long Island, per 100. 60® 75 
Cucumber pickles, per 1,000.1 00@2 60 
Egg plant. Jersey, per bbl. 93@1 00 
Jersey, per bushel box. . 40® 60 
Lettuce, Boston, per doz. 40® 60 
juocal, per bbl. —@ — 
Lima beans, Jersey, per bag. 75@1 25 
Jersey, potato, per bag. 2 26@2 60 
Southern potato, per *-bbl basket.1 6C@2 00 
Flat, per *-obl basket.1 00@1 60 
Onions. N. C. Md. and Va., per bbl.1 75@2 00 
Eastern 8 hore. per casket. 1 000 — 
Jersey, yellow, per bbl.1 5001 76 
Orange County Red, per bag .1 1001 75 
Orange County Yellow, per bbl .1 0U@l 60 
Orange County White, per bbl.1 50@2 6 ! 
Jersey White, per bbl.2 50@3 60 
Ka-,t->rn whits, per bbl.3 t0@3 60 
Parsley and Leeks, per 100.1 00® — 
Peas, per bag . 50@1 00 
Peppers. Jersey, per bushel crate . 25@ 30 
Spinach. Norfolk per bbl. —@ — 
Baltimore, per bbl. —@ — 
Squash, marrow, per bbl orate. 76@1 03 
White, per barrel. 1 00@1 25 
Hubbard, per bbl.1 00@1 26 
Yellow crook, per bbl. 50@ 76 
String beans. L. 1.. wax. per bag. 50® 60 
State wax, per ) 6 -bbl basket. 60® 76 
Tomatoes. South Jersey, Acme, per box.... 46 ® 60 
Jersey per box . 25@ 35 
Turnips. Russian, per bbl. 50® 76 
White, per 100 .3 00@4 00 
WOOL. 
Ohio and Pennsylvania. XXX.26 @— 
XX and above. 25 @— 
X. 22 @23 
Michigan. X and above.20 @— 
No. 1.23 @24 
Texas, scoured basis, spring, fine.42 @45 
Spring, med.38 @37 
Fall, line.33 @34 
California, scoured basis, spring. Northern.40 @44 
Southern.37 @42 
Fall .28 @33 
Oregon, scoured basis, Eastern.37 @41 
Valley .31 @38 
Territory Staple, scoured basis.42 @60 
Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri, combing.20 @23 
Clothing.19 @22 
MILK AND CREAM 
The total dally supply has been 22.911 oans of milk, 
168 oani of oondensed milk and 719 oans of oream. 
The average price paid for the surplus on the plat¬ 
forms has been 11.17 a can of 40 quarts. 
You Often Hear 
people say “there are others,” but 
they usually add “ we know Colum- 
bias are the best.” There never was 
a truer acknowledgment of Colum¬ 
bia superiority. At t h e present 
prices there is no reason why you 
should not join the army of Colum¬ 
bia riders. 
1897 Columbia Bicycles 
STANDARD OF 
THE WORLD 
$75 2 
all 
alike. 
1897 Hartfords . . . 
Hartfords, Pattern 2. . 
Hartfords, Pattern I . . 
Hartfords, Patterns 5 and 6 
POPE MFG. CO., Hartford, Conn. 
If Colnmbias are not properly represented 
in your vicinity, let us know. 
Storrs Agricultural College, Storrs, Conn. 
The place to get a good education at small expense, 
$140 to *160 per year. Both sexes admitted. Ladies 
course includes Domestic 8clence (cooking, sewing, 
dres<- making, household economy, etc.) and Physical 
Cu'ture. Courses open to ail in English, Agriculture, 
Horticulture, Chemistry. Botany. Geology. Entomol¬ 
ogy, Veterinary and Mathematics. Address 
B. F. KOON8, Pres.,- Storrs, Conn. 
GARNER & CO., 
Produce Commission Merchants, 
844 WASHINGTON STREET, NEW YORK. 
We have an extra demand for CHOICE CREAMERY 
BUTTER, CHOICE CHEESE and FANCY LEGHORN 
EGGS. Shipping Cards ana Stencils on application 
Reference: Gansevoort Bank. 
Established 1876. 
GEO. P. HAMMOND & CO., 
Commission Merchants and Dealers In all kinds of 
COUNTRY PRODUCE, Butter, Eggs, Cheese, 
Poultry. Foreign and Domestic Fruits. Consignments 
solicited 34 Sc 30 Little 12th St., New York. 
FRUITS 
VEGETABLES, 
PRODUCE. 
We receive and sell, In car-loads or smaller lots, all 
Products of the GARDEN, ORCHARD, DAIRY, 
HENNERY and FARM. Market Reports, References, 
etc., free upon application. Address 
No. 611 Liberty Street, PITTSBURGH, PA. 
SOMERS, BROTHER & CO. 
Are You 
willing to roll up your sleeves and work ? If so, 
we want you to represent THE RURAL NEW 
YORKER at your fair this year. We want a 
hustler at every fair in America this year. This 
is the time; now speak quick before the other 
fellow gets the appointment:! 
