8o4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
December 11 
people—the sheep business or the Klondike gold 
fields. Certain it is that there is a greater boom in 
the sheep industry than at any other time since the 
war. Our leading breeders are all sold out, and at 
prices averaging three times those asked a year ago. 
Shropshire rams are selling readily at $35 to $300 
each. One breeder has refused $300 each for some 
homebred rams. There is an unprecedented demand 
for Shropshires. New men are going into the busi¬ 
ness, and too many of them without proper knowledge 
or experience; but they have the fever, and will 
venture too boldly and buy sheep at too high prices, 
even against our caution and advice against it. But 
one barrier is in the way to prevent sheep from sell¬ 
ing at higher prices in the next 12 months than ever 
before known in the history of sheep breeding ; that 
is Twisted stomach-worms. If flock owners can cope 
with that insidious enemy, the sun is rising on a sea 
of prosperity in sheep breeding, mobtimer lovebing. 
Secretary American Shropshire Association. 
Good Prospects for the Lincolns. 
The United States require the wool from 100,000,000 
sheep to supply the manufacturers, and if the present 
tariff schedule continue as at present, we may safely 
look for a brisk demand for sheep from even those 
farmers who were so anxious to sell the past three 
years. The mutton trade has increased enormously 
within the last decade. The American people have 
found that no meat is more nutritious than mutton, 
and the feeding of sheep and lambs in the West is 
growing to be a very large industry. Lincoln sheep, 
while known in the United States for only a few 
years, have grown in popularity very fast. The well- 
known fact that no other breed crosses with the 
Merino equal to the Lincoln, is becoming widely 
disseminated, and western ranchmen are buying 
Lincoln rams by the car-load to cross on range 
ewes. The quality of both the fleece and mutton is 
conceded to be of the very choicest, and for a general- 
purpose sheep, there is no superior to the Lincoln- 
Merino crossbred. The Rambouillets are also very 
popular and the demand for them exceeds the supply. 
No one can deny the utility of American Merinos, 
or the benefit they have been to this country ; but in 
my opinion, their day is past as a purebred sheep, and 
they will be superseded by the Delaine, theRambouil- 
let, and the Lincoln. h. a. daniels. 
Secretary Lincoln Sheep Breeders’ Association. 
A NEW FARMERS’ ORGANIZATION. 
VINELAND SWEET POTATO GBOWEBS ORGANIZE. 
Vineland sweet potatoes have long held the reputa¬ 
tion of being the best on the market, and for many 
years, have commanded a higher price in the leading 
markets than those grown elsewhere. This fact has 
induced farmers living some distance away, to take 
their sweet potatoes to Vineland so that they may be 
shipped as “ Vineland sweets.” There are instances 
where they have been brought by wagon for 15 or 20 
miles, passing three or four railroad stations on the 
way. Some have even been shipped in by rail to 
be reshipped as Vineland-grown. This has worked 
to the detriment of the Vineland grower in two ways : 
First, and most important, most of the potatoes so 
brought in are grown on heavier soil than the Vine- 
land product, making them of poorer quality, thus 
lowering the standard of excellence : Secondly, it 
has largely increased the supply, and as the law of 
supply and demand governs the price, the selling 
price has been materially reduced. This state of 
affairs has existed to such an extent during the past 
two or three years, that quite a large percentage of 
the potatoes shipped from Vineland as “Vineland 
sweets,” were not grown in Vineland at all. Some 
of the dealers and shipping agents have encouraged 
this sort of thing, as they could purchase such stock 
below the regular market price for the Vineland 
product, ship them as “ Vineland sweets ”, and get 
the top price, thus making a very neat profit out of 
the transaction. 
This is the situation that confronted the Vineland 
farmers in the fall of 1897, and these are the ques¬ 
tions that presented themselves. Is it right that we, 
who have spent years of study and hard labor to reach 
the high standard of quality, and to gain the reputa¬ 
tion which we now possess, should allow outsiders 
to rob us of our market and our reputation ? If not, 
can we prevent it, and how ? A few of the prominent 
growers got together and called a mass meeting of 
the farmers for September 22. At this meeting, the 
question was thoroughly discussed in all its bearings. 
A committee was appointed to formulate a plan of 
organization. At the next meeting, September 29, 
the committee presented the following resolution, 
which was unanimously adopted and signed by nearly 
every farmer present. 
Whereas: We, the undersigned, fruit and sweet potato growers 
of Vineland, deeming it our djaty to organize to protect ourselves 
against outside parties>who bring their sweet potatoes to Vine¬ 
land to sell or to ship, thus encroaching upon the rights of Vine- 
land growers who have spent years of study and hard labor to 
reach the standard of quality and to gain the reputation which we 
now possess, therefore, 
Resolved: That we pledge ourselves neither to sell nor ship our 
fruit or sweet potatoes by any shipping agent who, after being 
requested to desist from buying, shipping, or in any way assist¬ 
ing outside parties to dispose of their sweets, shall refuse our 
request and continue to aid them. 
At the next meeting, October 6, a working organiza¬ 
tion was formed, to be known as the Sweet Potato 
Growers’ Protective Association, of Vineland, N. J. 
As laid down in the constitution, “ the objects of the 
association shall be to protect the interests of the 
members, especially in the shipment of sweet pota¬ 
toes.” The trade-mark of the association is the picture 
of a hill of sweet potatoes encircled with the words 
“Sweet Potato Growers’ Protective Associaticn of 
Vineland, N. J.” This trade-mark is printed at the 
top of the following circular : 
The contents of this package are grown in Vineland soil, culti¬ 
vated with care and honestly packed. 
By. 
For. 
This package is sold on its merits. If the buyer notice any 
attempt to cheat or defraud on the part of the packer, please re¬ 
turn this slip with a statement of the wrong to the secretary of 
this association. 
.Pres. 
.Sec. 
The circulars mentioned are sold to the members 
only, at one cent each, and are placed in the top of 
A MAINE PLUM TREE BEFORE PRUNING. Fig. 341. 
the barrel. Accompanying each circular, is a “sticker” 
with the trade-mark printed thereon, which is to be 
placed on the outside of the package. The business 
of the association is conducted by nine directors who 
are to be elected annually. They elect from their 
number a president, secretary and treasurer. The 
membership, at present, is about 80, representing 
from two-thirds to three-quarters of the sweets raised 
in Vineland. 
The shipping agents do not take kindly to the new 
order of things, but all but one have agreed to the 
request of the association not to handle outside pota¬ 
toes. If this association be wisely managed and well 
supported by the members, it cannot help but be a 
great benefit to the farmers of Vineland and vicinity. 
s. T. DOWLER. 
MORE COMPARISONS OF APPLES. 
In reading Some Apple Comparisons, page 774, I 
thought that I would like to make a few comments 
from an eastern New York standpoint, as it seems to 
me that the writer has praised southern and western 
fruit beyond what the exhibit warranted. He says 
that New York State Jonathans on exhibition were 
smaller than those from Kansas or North Carolina, 
when in fact, almost all the New York State Jona¬ 
thans were larger than those shown from Kansas, 
and one or two plates as large as those shown from 
North Carolina. Grimes Golden, as large as any shown, 
were exhibited from New York State, although hardly 
as smooth as the specimens from Kansas. The writer 
said that the York Imperials shown from New York 
were not as large as those from North Carolina or 
Virginia. No York Imperials were exhibited from 
this State, unless by the experiment station, and their 
apples bad been picked before they had their full 
growth, so that they would keep. The Eastern New 
York Horticultural Society bad no York Imperials in 
their collection. It is an apple that may prove profit¬ 
able in New York State, but has not been well enough 
tested yet along the Hudson to warrant extensive 
planting. 
In regard to the North Carolina apples exhibited 
by Mr Boggs, they were certainly very fine, but with 
the exception of Newtown Pippin, Winesap and Black 
Gilliflower, which wpre much better than those ex¬ 
hibited from New York, the other standard varieties 
shown, as Yellow Bellflower, Northern Spy, Greeningi 
King, Fall Pippin, Fameuse, etc., better specimens 
were exhibited from New York State. Many of the 
varieties sent by Mr. Boggs are not commonly grown 
in New York State, and were mostly red apples and 
quite showy. No apples were sent in from western 
New York outside of the Geneva Station exhibit. I 
think that, if we fruit growers of New York State 
take the proper care of our apple orchards, we can 
equal any fruit grown in the United States, quality, 
color and s ! ze considered. But we must spray, culti¬ 
vate, fertilize and thin our fruit, if we expect to lead 
in the production of apples for the fine trade. 
B D VAN BUBEN. 
H MILK PRODUCERS AND THE CONDENSER/ES. 
The tendency of the past has been to enlarge the 
firms controlling the consumption of the milk in New 
York State, and we have no reason to believe that it 
will be otherwise in the future; in fact, we know 
that not only have a number of firms consolidated 
from time to time, but that, at present, there is being 
formed in Greater New York a syndicate which, un¬ 
doubtedly, will affect the control of the supply to a 
marked extent. 
The condenseries, bottling stations, cheese and but¬ 
ter factories, now control the general supply, and as 
a rule, where a farmer can, he takes his milk to one 
of these under a contract more or less strict, and 
which may or may not be enforced, the latter de¬ 
pending mostly on the one with whom he is dealing, 
and whether there is a surplus or a shortage. These 
plants are usually thought to be a great benefit to 
the farmers and the community, although the actual 
fact is that the farmers have been brought more and 
more to depend on them for an outlet, and suddenly 
find themselves being squeezed, and upon looking 
around, find that they have no alternative but to do 
as told, and accept what they get. 
None of the condenseries and other plants think of 
buying milk without a contract which is generally 
rather in their favor, and fixed so that they can com¬ 
pletely control matters. Many have clauses which 
are never enforced unless they suddenly have-an 
object known only to themselves. For the past 25 
years, the prices of milk have gradually decreased, 
as may be seen from the following figures : 
Average Price ter Quart. 
1870. 4 48c. -1885 . 2 62c. 
1875. 3 58c. 189(1. 2.62c. 
1880 . 2.78c. 1895. 251c. 
The above are the prices paid to the farmers, less 10 
cents per can commission, but at the condenseries 
and cheese factories, the prices will average about 
the same, though they are quite differently arranged 
through the various months to control the supply 
according to the demand. e. n. e. 
A “ City Farmer's ’’ Peach Borers. 
E. S. S., Cleveland, O.—l am only a “city-lot farmer,” and have 
only a few peach trees, so could easily cook the borers with hot 
water. At any rate, it was a successful operation twice, the 
trees growing finely and no apparent harm being done to any¬ 
thing but the borers. I treated them this way last spring and 
last fall, but this fall, after pouring the hot water around the 
trees, the gum began to run, until now there is a pint of it around 
each tree; the trees are three to four inches in diameter. I can 
find no borers. What is the matter? How can I save the trees ? 
I banked the trees, and the borers were generally above the level 
of the ground. Two of my neighbors have apparently thrifty 
trees set in sod, and I know they never look for borers. Is sod a 
preventive ? Will the trees produce fruit in sod ? Theirs do not. 
Ans.—I t may be that E. S. S. has patterned after 
the mother who thought that, if one pill was good 
for her sick boy, the whole box full at once would be 
that much better. Pouring hot water about the roots 
of a peach tree to kill borers is rather risky in any 
case, as it may easily be overdone. A city-lot 
farmer ought to be able to dig the borers out of his 
few trees, and not resort to the woman’s remedy for 
prowling cats. It is a short job to dig borers out in 
most cases, and as E. S. S. had mounded his peach 
trees, it ought to have been a very short one. He may 
have scalded his trees to death. If so, he can easily 
tell by digging into the tender wood where the hot 
water stood. The gum is not a sure sign of death, as 
it may have oozed out of wounds of some sort. If they 
are dead, there is no remedy. Sod is a disadvantage 
to trees of nearly all kinds, and is no preventive to 
borers. H. e. v. d. 
