674 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
October 16 
iences are supplanting the irregular aggregations of 
log huts, and forlorn-looking stores with slat and 
clapboard porches in front. Elegant farm houses are 
taking the place of the old, clay-plastered log cabins, 
and great barns are rising above the ruins of the 
slab-sided, sway-backed sheds that formerly marred 
the beauty of the landscape, and the evidences of 
thrift and skill are on every hand. 
From Centralia westward to the bluffs of the Missis¬ 
sippi River, the wideawake new farmer has found a 
soil that is especially adapted to the growth of some 
of the finest winter wheat in the world, and wheat is 
his especial hobby. From Centralia eastward, almost 
to the Wabash River, the keen-eyed horticulturist 
has discovered a land that will grow apples to perfec¬ 
tion, and he has pounced upon it, and is covering it 
with apple trees. This apple belt, as it is termed, 
comprises the counties of Marion, Clay, Richland and 
Wayne. Portions of the counties adjoining those 
mentioned, might well be included in the apple belt, 
for it is not defined by county lines exactly, 
but by the peculiarity of the soil. This soil is 
about the color of putty and, if improperly 
tilled, it will become quite as hard as that 
article is when dry ; but when managed just 
right, it is as tractable as any soil in the State. 
The peculiar qualities that go to make it so 
well adapted to the growth of fruit trees, do 
not, at present, appear to be thoroughly under¬ 
stood ; but it is seen in the fineness of the 
grain of the wood in both fruit and deciduous 
trees. 
Here we find the “ conquering oak ” of 
Douglas, in perfection, the growth of the 
tree being fairly rapid, and the wood fine¬ 
grained and hard. But for the fires that 
swept this region when it was the home of 
the Indian, the oak would have taken it, and 
instead of the alternating woodland and 
prairie we now find, it would have been one 
vast forest of grand oaks. Without a doubt, 
the peculiar adaptability of the apple belt to 
the growth of that fruit is partly in the soil 
and partly in the climate. The blighting 
northwest winds that sometimes sweep over 
the northern and central portions of the State 
just when the apple is in bloom, utterly blast¬ 
ing the hopes of the orchardist in those sec¬ 
tions, either do not reach this section, or are 
so tempered by the moisture from the wood¬ 
lands they must cross to get here that they do 
little harm. My home is only about 100 miles 
northwest of the apple belt, yet spring opens 
two to six weeks later with me than here. I 
am well satisfied that the forests have much 
to do with tempering the climate here, and if 
the forests be cleared away in the next two or 
three decades, as now seems probable, this 
section will possess little or no advantage 
over ours. Let us hope that our National 
Forestry Commission will see the importance of tak¬ 
ing active steps so to force these matters upon the 
attention of the people of this State, that a commis¬ 
sion will be appointed to check, if possible, the clear¬ 
ing of land valueless almost for anything but forest 
growing, before a great and growing industry shall 
be irretrievably ruined. 
The great stacks of railroad ties and piles of fence 
posts to be seen in the villages between the Big Four 
railway and the apple belt, as well as the activity of 
the sawmills, is sufficient evidence that the work of 
destruction is being rapidly, and with the usual in- 
discriminating, wasteful methods, pushed energet¬ 
ically. No one could offer a single objection to the 
cutting of mature timber, but the senseless destruc¬ 
tion of the young growth, and the clearing of land 
for pasture that will become valueless for even that 
purpose in less than a dozen years, should be checked 
if it can be done. 
Clay County is in the center of the apple belt, and 
the area of orchard in this county is estimated to be 
about 35,000 acres, and is rapidly increasing. At this 
rate, one would be led to infer that the apple-growing 
industry is in danger of being overdone ; but there is 
little danger of this from the fact that, first, the 
natural apple belt cannot be much extended ; second, 
the crop is not a certainty, even with the best of cul¬ 
ture ; rarely are two large crops in succession grown 
in the same orchard; third, not all that plant will 
harvest. About 10 years are required to bring an 
orchard into full bearing. Out of every 25 persons 
that plant orchards, not more than 10 will give the 
trees the culture and attention necessary to bring 
them to a bearing age in good, healthy condition. 
Patience and untiring perseverance are absolutely 
essential qualities in the make-up of a successful 
orchardist, as well as a successful man in any other 
calling, and these qualities are rarely found in more 
than 10 out of 25 average men. • fbed gbundy. 
. (To be continued.) 
ALFALFA IN THE SOUTH. 
EXPEBIMENTS WITH INOCULATING SOILS. 
I have read with much interest the articles on 
Alfalfa in The R. N.-Y. for August 21 and Septem¬ 
ber 2. The extension of Alfalfa culture would be of 
untold advantage, for considering both quality of 
forage and weight of product, I cannot name its equal 
for certain soils, yet many attempts to grow this 
plant have ended in failure, even when planting has 
been done under apparently favorable conditions. 
Recent observations and experiments by the writer 
have pointed to one cause of failure, and indicated a 
means of overcoming this unfavorable condition. A 
realization of the ultimate advantages to be gained 
by the practical application of the results of recent 
European discoveries regarding the bacteria that in¬ 
duce the growth of tubercles or nodules on the roots 
of leguminous plants, led me to study the distribution 
of these germs in certain southern soils. An answer 
was sought to the very practical question, “ Do the 
soils tested need to have germ life added to them in 
order to produce maximum crops of Crimson clover, 
Sand or Hairy vetch, Canada field peas, lupins, Lespe- 
deza, cow peas and Alfalfa ? ” The results of the ex¬ 
periments indicated plainly that, for the successful 
growth of some of these legumes, the addition of the 
proper germs, either in the form of earth from old 
fields of clover, vetch, etc., or in the form of a pure 
culture, more than doubled the yield. For other 
ALFALFA; LABGE PLANT WAS INOCULATED. Fig. 285. 
certain plants in this class, artificial inoculation was 
found to be unnecessary. 
But in this article, I shall speak only of the results 
with Alfalfa, trusting that my experience in attempt¬ 
ing to grow this plant in a locality where it has not 
previously been grown, may explain the failures, and 
indicate a remedy for some who, attempting to grow 
this plant outside the region of its general cultiva¬ 
tion, have heretofore failed. A field of rather stiff, 
loamy soil, well drained, was thoroughly prepared, 
the preparation including subsoiling to a moderate 
depth. Alfalfa was sown October 9, 1896, and a good 
stand was secured, which condition was maintained 
all winter and spring. The soil was better than the 
average soil in this immediate locality, and before 
sowing, a heavy application of sulphate - of potash 
and Florida soft phosphate was made. The roots 
penetrated to considerable depths, but the plants 
neither branched properly nor attained half the usual 
height. In every sense, the plants were failures. 
Examination of the roots showed that the tubercles 
through which normal Alfalfa plants are enabled to 
assimilate the nitrogen of the air, were entirely want¬ 
ing. The plants were starving for want of nitrogen. 
In the latter part of February, of the present year, 
soil from a field somewhat similar to the above was 
placed in two new flower pots, 14 pounds in each. 
Equal weights of superphosphate were used in the 
two pots, and in both were planted equal quantities 
of Alfalfa seed. In one of these pots, was mixed 
one-fourth ounce of dust sifted from the seed burrs 
of Burr clover (Medicago maculata), which is botan- 
ically a near relative of Alfalfa. It was 
thought that this dust might contain the 
germs necessary to produce tubercles on Al¬ 
falfa. Judging by the present growth of the 
plants, this dust did produce the desired 
tubercles. Fig. 285 shows that the pot receiv¬ 
ing the inoculating dust produced Alfalfa 
plants about three times as tall as the plants 
in the other pot. This photograph was taken 
May 19, less than three months after plant¬ 
ing the seed, and two months before the 
first cutting was made. When cut for the 
first time, July 22, the treated or inoculated 
plants afforded more than four times as much 
dry forage as the plants not treated. A second 
cutting will be made in a few days. The 
difference between the crops in the two pots 
is now even greater than at the first cutting. 
The inoculated plants now measure about 15 
inches, the treated plants less than five inches. 
This work will be repeated and extended in 
the field this fall; meanwhile we have a hint 
that sprinkling over the soil and thorough 
harrowing in one or two tons per acre of 
earth from an old field of Alfalfa, Burr clover, 
or Black medic may remove one of the ob¬ 
stacles to Alfalfa culture on upland soils in 
the South and, probably, also in other parts 
of the country where the culture of this plant 
is not general, and where there is no great 
abundance of wild plants belonging, like Al¬ 
falfa, to the genus Medicago. The West is, 
doubtless, naturally inoculated, as are proba¬ 
bly some other regions. j. f. duggab. 
Alabama Experiment Station. 
MIDDLEMAN’S SHARE OF POTATOES. 
I recently took a trip into Franklin County, 
N. Y., one of that State’s great potato-produc¬ 
ing sections. Chateaugay is one of the larges t, 
potato centers there, and it is said that potatoes are a 
cash crop there any day in the year. It may interest 
some of The R. N.-Y. readers to know how the farm¬ 
ers in that section are helped (?) by the middlemen. 
The growers there do not ship their potatoes them¬ 
selves, but sell almost entirely to produce dealers, of 
which there are a good half dozen who are well com¬ 
bined. There are only two sets of scales there, and 
these are controlled by, and are for the use of, the 
combine only. One steps from the train and sees a 
number of loads of potatoes bound for the cars on the 
siding. On making inquiries about potatoes, one is 
immediately introduced to one of the combine, who 
invites him into his office and after a talk, giving his 
prices on potatoes, etc., as one leaves, he says, “It 
will be useless to talk to the farmers, as it only stirs 
up trouble,” etc. Nevertheless, I, who am a farmer, 
did talk to the farmers, and learned what kind of a 
friend these produce men are. 
At the time I was there, they were paying the farm 
ers 50 cents per 62-pound bushel, and were asking, 
and selling them on the track for 67 cents per bushel. 
It costs to load a 450 to 500-bushel car not over $1, so 
that, for his receiving the potatoes, weighing, load¬ 
ing, making out bill of lading and drawing draft, he 
received at this time from $75 to $85 per car. As from 
five to twenty or more cars are loaded daily, the prod¬ 
uce men can afford to smoke good cigars and live in 
fairly good style. 
I asked one of the farmers why they didn’t get 
their own scales. He said, “ We did club together $1 
apiece, bought a set, and had arranged with a man to 
have charge of them ; but he w&s received with open 
arms into the combine,” so that was, for the time, 
given up. Some of the farmers would be glad to have 
outside buyers come in, but one says, “ The produce 
men own feed and grain stores, run creameries, sell 
agricultural implements, harnesses, wagons, etc., and 
the farmers who usually buy on time, often giving 
six-months to one-year notes at six par cent interest, 
THE FAME PEAR. Fig. 284. See Rubalisms, Page 679. 
