1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
3i3 
Events of the IVeek 
domestic.—'I' he United States transport Rawlins took 
fire at her dock in Brooklyn, N. Y., April 10. She was 
pumped full of water and sunk, with a total damage, in¬ 
cluding cost of raising her, of $70,000.Woman 
suffrage was again defeated in the Wisconsin Assembly 
April 9, the Evans constitutional amendment permitting 
women to vote being killed by a vote of* 61 to 30. A 
similar amendment has already been killed by the State 
Senate.Governor Hunt has issued a proclama¬ 
tion abolishing martial law in Shoshone County, Idaho, 
which was established at the time of the riots of two 
years ago.An avalanche near Adelaide, Col., 
April 12, buried a work train, killing three men and 
seriously injuring four others.April 12, the 
weather cleared at Denver, Col., after a snowstorm of 
96 continuous hours, being the heaviest April snowstorm 
for many years.George Q. Cannon, leader of 
the Mormon church, died in California, April 12, aged 74. 
One of the first emigrants to Salt Lake, he soon ac¬ 
quired the position of a leader among the Mormons. In 
1865 and the five succeeding years he was elected to the 
Legislative Council of Utah, being at the same time a 
Regent of the Deseret University. He was a member of 
the State Constitutional Convention of 1872, and was 
elected a delegate to present the Constitution and a 
memorial to Congress for the admission of the Territory 
into the Union as a State. He was elected delegate to 
several Congresses, beginning with the Forty-third, but 
he had to leave the Forty-seventh because he admitted 
that he w'as living with four wives. His second wife was 
the daughter of Brigham Young.The Federal 
court at New Orleans has decided that the shipment of 
mules to the British in South Africa cannot be stopped 
by injunction, the court having no jurisdiction. . . . •. 
A student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 
contracted bubonic plague from an accident with plague 
bacilli in the laboratory. He will recover, and there is 
no fear of further spread of the disease.It is 
said that gold has been discovered in paying quantities 
along the Kaskaskia River at Pana, Ill., assaying $4 to 
$12 a ton.Phineas M. Blodgett, whose father was 
a member of Washington’s army, died April 16 in Chicago. 
He was born in Groton, N. Y., in 1809, and had voted 
for 18 Presidents.An express train ran into a 
wagonload of Indians April 16 at a crossing near Blue 
Jacket Station, Indian Territory, killing two men and 
seriously injuring a woman and child.A head- 
end collision at Woodbine, Iowa, April 16, between two 
Illinois Central passenger trains, resulted in the death 
of one man, probably fatal injury of another and the 
serious injury of several passengers.Four per¬ 
sons were killed and seven injured April 17 by an ex¬ 
plosion on a steamer near Vancouver, B. C. 
PHILIPPINES.—The chief of staff of the Insurgent, 
General Mascardo, has surrendered at the town of Mari- 
vales, in Bataan Province, Luzon. He said that Mascar- 
do’s band of followers, now greatly diminished, are in 
a bad way. It is impossible for them to elude the Ameri¬ 
cans: they are unable to obtain food, and want to sur¬ 
render. It is expected that General Mascardo himself 
will surrender shortly. A court-martial has been con¬ 
vened at Manila, and met April 18 to investigate the com¬ 
missary frauds. A number of army officers and civilians 
are Implicated. 
ADMINISTRATION.—There is no present prospect that 
a new isthmian canal treaty will be negotiated with 
Great Britain before Congress meets, for the reason that 
Senators continue to tell Secretary Hay that no treaty 
different from the amended one which Great Britain re¬ 
jected could be ratified by the Senate. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The Republic of Mexico 
signed the convention of the Peace Conference at The 
Hague April 17. China, Imxembourg and Turkey are 
now the only countries which have not signed. 
A South African Blue Book has been Issued by the Brit¬ 
ish government reviewing the situation in the Boer war 
as presented by Sir Alfred Milner. While assured of 
ultimate success, he says the work will be slow and 
costly, and he admits that during the last six months 
there has been retrogression in the campaign. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Chicago packing houses have 
been advised by their agents in London that the British 
government has excluded all beef except home-bred from 
army contracts. The Agricultural Department at Wash¬ 
ington has been notified. The value of our exports of 
live animals to Great Britain amounts to $40,000,000, while 
the total of animal products exported from the United 
States to Great Britain is stated to be, in round numbers, 
$200,000,000. It is believed that this proposed embargo may 
really be a sequel, in greater or less degree, to the pro¬ 
ceedings instituted at New Orleans against shipments of 
horses and mules from that port for use in the South 
African campaign. It is pointed out that if the English 
really decided to take the action reported, the British 
might turn to Australia for their meats. It is claimed, 
however, that meats cannot be got there in as good a 
quality or as cheap as in the United Stales. 
Frank D. Gardner, of Illinois, an expert in the Soils 
Division of the Department of Agriculture, has been ap¬ 
pointed to take charge of the experiment station work 
in Porto Rico. 
American corn is now the object of attack of the French 
agrarians. United States Consul Thackera, at Havre, 
makes this subject the basis of a considerable report to 
the State Department. He says, in brief, that the French 
agrarians and some other interests became alarmed some 
time ago at the increasing use of foreign corn, and have 
succeeded in having two bills reported for passage, the 
first regulating the temporary admission of corn, and 
the second fixing the duty on grain at 96 cents instead 
of 58 cents per 100 kilogrammes, and increasing the duty 
on flour made from corn from five francs to eight francs 
per 100 kilogrammes. 
The combination sale of “all Scotch” Short-horn cattle 
was concluded April 6 at the Chicago stock yards, 46 ani¬ 
mals being sold for an average of $719 each. Thirty-seven 
cows were sold for an average of $710 each, and nine 
bulls sold for an average of $754 each. The highest- 
priced cow was “Victoria of Hill Farm Sixth,” sold for 
$2,100, to Frank Bellows, of Maryville, Mo., and the high¬ 
est-priced bull was imported “Fearless Archer,” sold for 
$1,650 to Alexander Bruce, Buenos Ayres, South America. 
A notable sale of pine trees has been made at Scio, 
Allegany County, N. Y. Lucius and Ebenezer Norton, 
owners of 490 trees which are the remnant of the original 
forest on the Allegany hills, sold them for $7,500. The 
trees are to be hauled to Wellsville and Belmont, and 
it is expected that 720,000 feet of lumber will be obtained 
from them. The price paid probably was the highest ever 
secured for pine on the stump, the average price per 
tree being $15. Pine lumber Is worth $70 per 1,000 feet. 
These trees are the last clump of virgin pine in Allegany 
County, the other trees having been bought in the past 
three years owing to the increase in the price of lumber. 
The largest pine cut thus far measured 16 feet in circum¬ 
ference at the butt, and the rings indicated that it was 
more than 295 years old. There is now little standing 
timber in the county, the telegraph companies and rail¬ 
roads having used most of it for poles and railroad ties. 
The directors of the Wholesale Seedsmen’s League, 
representing all the great seed houses in the United 
States, met at the Astor House, New York City, April 
11, and adopted a resolution declaring that the Secretary 
of Agriculture of the United States, through the manner 
in which he is allowing the contract to be filled for seeds 
for free distribution this year, has brought the seed di¬ 
vision of his department into disrepute and departed from 
all precedents In any department. 
The firm of Segari, Stich & Meyer, of New Orleans, re¬ 
ceived two barrels of new potatoes April 3 from the 
“Home Place” on the Louisiana lower coast. They wei'e 
the first arrivals this season, and of course brought a 
fancy price. But in this case the sale was made at $14 
per barrel, which smacks much more of Boston or New 
York values than any former New Orleans price. 
Reports have been sent to the Middle West to the effect 
that the Secretary of the Interior is the Government of¬ 
ficial who is dispensing vaccine for protection of cattle 
against black-leg. The Secretary has been obliged to 
direct scores of those who inquire about the matter to the 
Department of Agriculture. He suggests that matters 
would be greatly facilitated if those who want the vac¬ 
cine will address that department direct, as his depart¬ 
ment has nothing to do with the doctoring of cattle. 
Peoria, 111., purposes to hold, in 1902, an exposition 
which shall represent the labors of the corn-growers 
throughout the great Western corn belt. Next year is 
considered an off year in big expositions, and the move¬ 
ment now under way gives promise of success. The 
proposed exposition finds an enthusiastic promoter in E. 
S. Fursman, president of the Illinois Corn Growers’ As¬ 
sociation, who has been in charge of the exhibition for 
three years, and who is to superintend Illinois’ corn ex¬ 
hibit at the Pan-American Exposition this year. The 
plan for the proposed corn-belt exposition includes the 
organization of a strong stock company to stand behind 
the enterprise. 
The farmers of the Kansas wheat belt will organize on 
May 16 at Salina, and arrange for independent shipment 
of wheat to market. They favor direct shipment to Liver¬ 
pool by many of Gulf ports, avoiding eastern markets. 
The annual meeting of the American Guernsey Cattle 
Club will be held at Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York 
City, May 15, 1901, at 10:30 A. M. Besides the usual routine 
business, there will be some matters of great interest 
considered. The results of the home butter contest, end¬ 
ing May 1, will be announced, and the establishment of 
an advanced register for Guernseys will be discussed. 
The New York State Fair Commission met at Albany, 
April 17, and elected the following officers; President, 
Lieut.-Gov. Woodruff; vice-president, Charles A. Wiet- 
Ing, State Commissioner of Agriculture; secretary, S. C. 
Shaver, Cobleskill; treasurer, A. R. Brown, Batavia; su¬ 
perintendent of grounds, H. A. Moyer, Syracuse; super¬ 
intendent of races, Theodore Coleman, Plornellsville; su¬ 
perintendent of horse show, Ralph Hyde, New York. The 
commission meets in Syracuse, May 2. 
HOW AND WHEN THEY SPRAY. 
What New York Fruit Growers Report. 
The following reports from members of the New York 
Fruit Growers’ Association give a fair idea of the prac¬ 
tice of spraying: 
About all fruit growers here spray the last week in 
March to middle of April; spray for leaf curl on peach 
trees. No power sprayers used in this section. 
Ulster Co. j. a. h. 
I do not know of an orchardist who does not spray, 
and the power pumps are used to some extent, but not 
more than one in a hundred. I do not believe they are 
profitable in our ordinary-sized orchards. s. w. w. 
Monroe Co. 
I do not care to spray until the blossoms fall. Most 
of the fruit growers through this section spray, but no 
steam or gasoline engines are used for that purpose, so 
far as I know. a. d. c. 
Orleans Co. 
Probably three-fourths of our fruit growers spray their 
trees at present, both peach and apple trees. There are 
only two power sprayers in our vicinity. Most of the 
people use hand pumps, as they think they are the most 
economical. c. J. m. 
Niagara Co. 
About 90 per cent of the fruit grower’s spray, com¬ 
mencing just before the bud opens for blossoming. There 
are only a few steam or gasoline sprayers in this section, 
but more are coming into use every year. They seem to 
be expensive for the farmer with a small orchard. 
Orleans Co. c. s. w. 
I think nine-tenths of the growers spray. There is no 
spraying done by steam in this section. I know of but 
four that are worked by power, and they are attached 
to the wheel of the wagon. I spray the first time just 
as the apple buds sepai-ate; I mean by this when the 
leaves unfold. The blossom bud is like a round ball, 
and in a day or two they separate so one can get the 
spray in and all around the buds. I treat my pears and 
plums in the same way. e. a. c. 
Niagara Co. 
At least nine-tenths of the fruit growers In this county 
spray, and all by hand power. The first spraying is done 
immediately before the buds begin to swell, which last 
season was April 25, the day I commenced spraying the 
first time. I should not consider power spraying profit¬ 
able only in very large orchards. c. w. o. 
Niagara Co. 
Nearly all growers spray. None use power pumps. 
The large double-action hand pump is used in nearly all 
cases. We spray with Bordeaux Mixture as soon as the 
ground will bear up the team and wagon. I used ar- 
senite of soda last season, and would not think of going 
back to Paris-green. It is much more effective; does not 
precipitate: more convenient and cheaper. c. r. w. 
Ontario Co. 
Half the orchards (barring a few old abandoned ones) 
are sprayed, but very few are done thoroughly. I expect 
to spray apples just before the buds open. There are 
no power sprayers in this neighborhood, but I consider 
it the best way to use power pump or steam pump on 
account of the fineness of spray and thoroughness with 
which it can be done. j. q. w. 
Ontario Co. 
Spraying for leaf-eaters and the Codling moth is 
practiced by possibly 10 per cent of our farmers, and by 
all of our fruit specialists. Spraying for blights is con¬ 
fined to a few vineyardists, who make about three ap¬ 
plications of Bordeaux, the first one soon after tying up. 
Apple scab was very prevalent for many years, but is 
little seen recently. I think there are no engine-power 
sprayers in this county, though our largest vineyardists 
are considering the advisability of better equipment. A 
public sprayer would find large patronage. j. t. r. 
Onondaga Co. 
From 50 to 75 per cent of our fruit growers spray in 
this section, but only a small percentage spray thorough¬ 
ly and with Bordeaux. We like to spray for the first 
time just as early as the ground is in shape to drive 
over; the second time just before the biossom opens. 
There are no steam or gasoline engines used for the pur¬ 
pose of spraying in this section; the best apparatus 
for the purpose in this locality consists of a tank holding 
about 300 gallons, surmounted by a staging six feet above 
tank for the men holding and directing the nozzles to 
stand upon. The man who drives does the pumping, 
using a good pump (Eclipse or Pomona) with two lines 
of hose 25 feet each in length. a. h. mcm. 
Wayne Co. 
I think about two-thirds of apple growers sprayed 
their orchards last year. A good many new spray tanks 
are going out this Spring, which makes me think that 
more people are preparing for spraying this year. Most 
apple growers spray before buds open; then just as soon 
as blossoms fall; then again about 10 or 12 days after 
second spraying. I never have heard of any spray rigs 
run by gasoline; knew of one man who had an oil burner 
to run his spray rig, but did not like it, and substituted 
a coal burner. I know of three coal burners. IY 2 horse¬ 
power, running last year. If ground is soft it needs 
three horses to draw spray rig; tanks holding 250 gallons 
are pretty generally used for large orchards. I hear of 
four new coal burner sprayers having been ordered for 
this Spring's use. p. q. 
Orleans Co. 
77 /£ VALUE OF QUOTATIONS. 
Considerable has been said on this subject of market 
prices quoted for country produce, yet it does not seem 
to be generally understood. The only way to get an 
absolutely correct report would be to see all dealers in 
a certain market every day and get a full account of 
sales and prices. No commercial daily, however, claims 
to do this. It might be done in a small town, but in a 
large market like New York or Philadelphia, the under¬ 
taking would be enormous, and the space required to 
print all the facts greater than any market paper could 
give. Of course, the prices of grain, butter and eggs are 
made daily on the produce and mercantile exchanges, 
and wholesalers throughout the city take these figures 
as a basis for the day’s business. They may now and 
then get a higher price for a certain grade from a cus¬ 
tomer who needs it badly, or they may have to cut in 
order to make a sale, but this exchange price is taken as 
a sort of par value for the day. On other products, such 
as fruits, vegetables, etc., the usual plan in quoting is 
to give a range of prices covering both high and low. 
There are extreme prices, however, on both ends that 
it is not thought wise to give, as they are more likely 
to mislead than help. A reader says that for a certain 
grade of sweet potatoes his neighbor has been getting 
25 cents per barrel more than the market prices quoted. 
However, sales as a rule would not warrant quoting such 
a figure. This man evidently had better potatoes than 
most of that grade. His agent in this city saw that they 
were worth more, and held them for the higher price. 
Some men in preparing a certain grade of produce for 
market make it as poor as they can without being put 
in a lower class, while others make it really better than 
is neeessary, and frequently get no returns for their 
extra trouble. Where the selling agent takes an interest 
in the matter, and is willing to do a little extra work to 
get what the stuff is really worth, the careful and honest 
packer usually gets pay for his extra trouble. Another 
man may send stuff which is graded in the same class, 
yet at the foot of the class, and on this account fail to 
get the premium his neighbor did. Of course, all pro¬ 
duce ought to be sold on its merit, or lack of merit, but 
in order to quote it, there must be some grading, and 
where such a wide range of quality is allowed in one 
grade, such a grade cannot be connected with anything 
definite in the way of prices. No one claims that this 
is as it ought to be, but an effort is made to give a fair 
range of prices, and the matter should be studied from 
all sides by shippers. w. w. h. 
