1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
8o5 
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 paDer.l 
Life Changes of the Peach Borer. 
II ../. G., Waynesboro, Pa.— 1. Will you describe fully the dif¬ 
ferent changes that take place from the time the full-grown peach 
borer passes into the state of a winged insect, until the young 
peach borers are found in the bark at the base of the tree? 2. 
While searching for peach borers I have occasionally found sm all 
black bugs about one-eighth inch long, in small holes in the bark 
at the base of the trees. These bugs are quite lively, and are 
seldom found except on two trees, where they were found by hun¬ 
dreds. These two trees suddenly withered and died in August 
while loaded with fruit. What are they and what the remedy? 
3. Will you describe the appearance of the San Jos6 scale on 
peach trees, so that I may know it when I see it? 
ANSWERED BY M. Y. SLINGERLAND. 
1. In Pennsylvania, the caterpillars of the peach 
borer, will, doubtless, begin to mature in the latter 
part of June, and coming to the surface of the soil, 
they spin about themselves a cocoon, made of silk 
and sawdust from their borings ; this cocoon is usually 
attached to the bark of the tree at the entrance to 
their burro ws. In this cocoon, the caterpillar soon 
transforms to a brown, apparently lifeless object, 
called a pupa. Two or three weeks after the cocoon 
is spun by the caterpillar, the pupa pushes its way 
about half way out of its home, and its skin splitting 
open down its back, a beautiful wasp-like creature 
emerges ; it is the adult insect, one of the prettiest of 
our moths. The female differs quite remarkably 
from the male. The moths tly very swiftly during 
the hotter parts of the day, and frequent flowers, thus 
increasing their resemblance to wasps. At Ithaca, 
N. Y., the moths begin to emerge about July 15, and 
most of them are out by August 1. Doubtless, at 
Waynesboro, Pa., they emerge a little earlier. 
The females soon begin to glue their small, brown, 
hard-shelled eggs on to the bark of the trunks of 
peach trees. The young caterpillars, doubtless hatch 
in about 10 days, and at once begin their destructive 
work under the bark. They continue to work until 
cold weather sets in, when they ensconce themselves 
in a loose, cocoon-like home, and there remain all 
winter without feeding. They seem to begin work 
again in New York about May 15, varying, of course, 
with the forwardness of the season. From this time 
on, they feed much and grow fast; I have seen cater¬ 
pillars not over one-fourth inch long on April 19, 
get their full growth and transform to the moth 
by July 20. Thus most of the damage is done by the 
borer in the spring, in May and June, when it gets 
most of its growth. There is thus bat one brood of 
the caterpillars each year, the one-fourth or one-third 
grown ones wintering over. 
2. Probably, the “black bugs” which H. J. G. 
found in small hole3 in the bark of some of his peach 
trees were the beetles of the pest known as the 
“ Shot-hole borer.” When they practically take pos¬ 
session of a tree, it is doomed, and would better be 
burned at once. Usually, these beetles do not attack 
vigorous trees, only those that have been weakened 
first from some other cause. Various washes have 
been tried for these little borers, but there is not yet 
sufficient evidence to warrant the recommendation of 
any of them. Keeping the trees healthy is the best 
preventive. 
3. It would ba a very difficult matter to describe the 
San Jos6 scale so that one not especially conversant 
with such minute insects would ba able to recognize 
one on sight. I am not always sure that I know the 
San Jos6 scale when I see it; for there are two or 
three scales which look so much like it that it requires 
considerable microscopical manipulation to enable 
one to say definitely whether he is looking at this 
dreaded pest or not. I would advise H. J. G. to send 
to the Department of Agriculture at Washington for 
the illustrated information which they can supply on 
this insect; then closely scrutinize his trees, and 
whenever anything of a scale-like nature appears, 
send specimens to one of the experiment stations for 
determination. 
Green Lice on Cabbage. 
G. L. Y., Orient, M. Y. —What can be done to get rid of, or pre¬ 
vent, the green lice that come on cabbage, especially during dry 
weather ? Our Brussels sprouts are badly infested with them 
this year, and a similar form of lice has destroyed our cucum¬ 
bers, only the latter look black instead of green. 
Ans. —Thorough and frequent sprayings with whale- 
oil soap (one pound dissolved in about five gallons of 
water), or kerosene emulsion, is about as practical 
and successful as any method jet devised for dealing 
with the plant louse infesting cabbages and similar 
plants. Use an under-spray nozzle, that is a nozzle 
on the end of a tube bent so as to form a right angle 
near the nozzle. The Cucumber aphis or louse is of a 
different kind from that attacking cabbages. Some 
check it successfully with the above spray, while 
others invert wash tubs or similar dishes over the 
hills, gathering the vines under the tubs, and then gen¬ 
erate hydrocyanic acid gas or liberate the fumes of 
carbon bisulphide under the tub. Either louse is a 
hard pest to combat, and requires thorough work. 
m. v. s. 
Pruning Plum Trees in Maine. 
O. II. F., Bath , Me .—I have 20 plum trees, planted last spring, 
that have made a new growth of from one to six feet. Should the 
new growth be cut back, and if so, how much would be best for 
them ? 
A ns —J udicious pruning is one of the most import¬ 
ant factors in successful plum culture. It is, also, 
important that the work be carefully and systemati¬ 
cally done from the first. The maxim, “ Train up a 
child in the way he should go,” is specially applicable 
in growing plum trees. Beginning with the second 
year after planting, the trees should be examined an¬ 
nually, and the previous year’s growth should be 
thinned and cut back one-fourth to one-half. In this 
way, strong, compact heads are formed, and fruit 
spurs are developed near the body of the tree, where 
future crops of fruit may be carried with the least 
liability of loss in case of high winds. Figs. 341 
and 342 are from photographs of a plum tree of erect 
habit, three years after planting, “ before and after ” 
pruning. The fact should constantly be borne in 
mind that the wood of the plum is much more brittle 
than that of the apple and pear, and will not stand 
(5 
i 
A MAINE PLUM TREE AFTER PRUNING. Fig. 342. 
heavy loads. Neither can lack of care during the 
first few years be overcome later when the saw must 
be substituted for knife and pruning shears. 
Maine Experiment Station. w. m. munson. 
Concord Wine ; Making and Selling. 
J. M. C., Logansport, Ind. —1. Will you give directions for mak¬ 
ing good wine of Concord grapes ? 2. Can I sell wine by the 
gallon to a neighbor without a Government license ? I made 
eight gallons, and it is of no account. I made eight gallons 
more in jugs (the first was in a whisky keg) and all pronounce it 
fine. Both were made alike as far as I know. A neighbor wants 
a gallon, and says that I can sell as I am not making it for a 
living, for if I was following it as business, X would need a license. 
Ans —1. To 20 pounds of grapes, washed and 
stemmed, add 10 pounds granulated sugar. Place in a 
large stone jar, a layer of grapes alternated with a 
layer of sugar. Pour on six quarts of boiling water, 
let stand until cool enough to bear the hand, then 
mash thoroughly, and cover with a thin cloth. Let it 
stand three days, then strain and put back in the jar, 
cover with «cloth, let stand eight days, then strain 
through a cloth bag, and bottle or jug. Leave the 
corks loose until done working, then push them down 
tight. 2. No Sec. 39, chap. 119, United States Statutes, 
provides that it shall be the duty of a person wishing 
to manufacture and sell spirits, ale, beer and wine by 
the gallon or otherwise, to procure a license of the 
Internal Revenue Collector. Sec. 41 provides that, in 
addition to the fees payable for the license above 
named, there shall be paid a duty on each and every 
gallon made for sale before offering the same for 
sale. There seems to be no limit as to quantity. The 
distilling or making of wine in quantities of eight 
gallons, and selling the same by the gallon, would 
be clearly a violation of the Federal law, unless one 
were licensed so to do. The custom of farmers or 
others of manufacturing a few gallons of wine for 
home consumption, is allowable under the statute, 
but the sale of a single gallon to a neighbor would be 
a technical violation of the provisions of the law. It 
would, also, in my opinion, be in violation of the Act 
of March 8,1897, Indiana Laws 1897, page 253. b. d. f. 
Ensilage Ration for Heifers and Steers. 
W. II. At., Strathroy, Ont.—l have 13 heifers and 20 steers, mostly 
two-year-olds, which I wish to fatten now. I have room for only 
20 to be stall-tied in a warm stable under the barn. The others 
will be loose In a fairly comfortable enclosed shed, provided with 
mangers and water. I have plenty of good corn ensilage, well 
cobbed, clover hay, dry corn stalks, wheat, oat, rye and pea 
straw, also some mangels and turnips. A good windmill is on 
the barn. I have a cutting box. What meal do I need, in addition, 
to fatten the animals best and at least cost ? I get pea chop at 
90 cents per 100 pounds, one-fourth corn chop 70 cents, oat chop 
70 cents, rye chop 80 cents, one-lialf barley chop 55 cents, mixed 
chop (largely small wheat, screenings and general mill toll) 75 
cents, shorts 70 cents, one-fourth bran 50 cents. 
Ans —The cheapest grain foods in this list at the 
prices given are corn chop, barley chop and bran. A 
mixture of two parts by weight of barley, one of corn 
and one of bran, would make a good ration to go with 
the ensilage and clover hay. When animals are well 
fed, as they must be in fattening, and getting ensilage 
and clover hay with plenty ot grain, it cannot be ex¬ 
pected that they will eat much straw or dry corn 
stalks. Thus it would not be well to depend on giv¬ 
ing them much of these foods. Make their chief coarse 
ration of ensilage, and on this give them the grain, 
all they will stand. Then between two such daily 
feeds, let them pick at what bright straw or clover 
hay they may like. But let most of the coarse, dry 
fodder go to the store cattle. If the ensilage will not 
last during the season for two feeds daily, it would be 
well to feed it at night only, and for the morning 
ration give mangels with the grain, and clover hay. 
L. A. 
Earth Reservoir for Irrigation Purposes 
W. D. K., Chicago, III. —Will you give directions for building 
a reservoir with eartb embankments, for irrigation purposes ? 
The intention is to build a reservoir 150 feet in diameter, capable 
of holding five feet of water, but we cannot And any authority on 
the following points: 1. Is it necessary to dig down any distance 
on the site of the proposed embankment, in order to get a founda¬ 
tion, so that the retaining wail will not slide on its base by press¬ 
ure of water inside the reservoir ? If so, how deep should this 
foundation be dug ? 2. Should the embankment be two feet, or 
more, above the proposed highest water-level in the reservoir ? 3. 
How wide should this embankment be at the base, and how wide 
on top ? Also, what would be the proper slope for its walls on 
the inside and outside? Would a slope of one foot to every 1)4 
foot rise be necessary ? Toe soil is what is known in the South¬ 
west as “ chocolate upland,” while that on the creek bottom is 
known as “Crawfish." The subsoil is a stiff clay, and from the 
evidence of dug ponds in the vicinity, seems, at least when pud¬ 
dled, to be almost impervious to water. 
Ans. —1. The soft soil and vegetable -matter should 
be carefully removed from under the entire base of 
the embankment, which should be carried down to 
soil which is, itself, impervious to water. 2. The em¬ 
bankment should be, at least, three feet above the 
level of the water in the reservoir. 3. For five feet of 
water in the reservoir, the embankment should be 
eight feet high, five feet wide at the top, and 29 feet 
wide at the bottom, with a slope of IX foot horizontal, 
on inside and outside, to each foot of height, j. a. h. 
How to Test Well Water. 
F. F. 8., Manchester, N. II.— How can I test well water for family 
use and watering stock ? 
Ans, —A simple test to determine the presence of 
chlorides in well water is made as follows : Put into 
a half tumblerful of water, a few drops of silver 
nitrate. If any sewage matter or chlorides be pres¬ 
ent, a white precipitate will be formed. To determine 
whether this precipitate is actually due to the pres¬ 
ence of chlorides, add a few drops of nitric acid. If 
the white precipitate do not disappear, it indicates 
the presence of chlorides, and the water should not 
be used for drinking purposes. l, a. c. 
Difference Between Portland Cement and Water-lime. 
W. II. L., Fremont, Ind.—Ol what is cement made, and what 
makes the difference between water-lime and Portland cement ? 
I have often thought I would ask you some questions, but before 
I would do so, I would find the answer in your valuable paper. 
Ans. —There is a great, deal of difference between 
Portland cement and hydraulic lime (sometimes called 
water-lime), with the advantages largely in favor of 
the cement. Portland cement is made by thoroughly 
mixing together, in suitable proportions, clay and 
finely pulverized carbonate of lime (either chalk, 
marl or compact limestone), burning the mixture in 
kilns at high heat, and then grinding the burnt prod¬ 
uct to fine powder between ordinary millstones. Hy¬ 
draulic lime can be made by mixing together, in suit¬ 
able proportions, thoroughly slaked common lime 
and unburnt clay, tempering the mixture with water, 
and burning it in the form of bricks or rounded balls, 
in an ordinary lime-kiln. The burnt material can be 
slaked in the usual way, as it contains an excess of 
quicklime or caustic lime, which induces slaking. 
Portland-cement mortar sets or hardens very quickly, 
and has great ultimate strength. Hydraulic lime 
sometimes requires as long as 12 or 15 days to harden 
so as to resist crushing between the thumb and 
finger, and its hydraulic energy and strength are far 
inferior to that of Portland cement. No hydraulic 
lime is made in the United States. It is made in 
France, and was formerly brought here in large 
quantities, but it is not used here now, hydraulic 
cement having been found to be so much superior 
to it. j, ^ Hi 
