1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
FERTILITY AND FROST. 
Resistant Effect of Vigorous Growth. 
In a recent visit to a large nursery I saw two most 
striking examples of the effect of vigorous vegetable 
growth in counteracting frost. Part of a held of cow 
peas, planted as a cover crop, was green and making 
some growth, while in the other part but few living 
plants could be seen, nearly all having been killed by 
a recent heavy frost. The nurseryman told me that 
the space covered by the green peas had been heavily 
manured just before planting time, and that the rest 
of the field had received no enrichment. The second 
illustration was even more marked. A large block of 
young apples, two years from the graft, had on one 
side several acres of rather weak-growing trees; on 
these there were but few fresh green leaves, nearly all 
having been browned by frost. On the remainder of 
the block the trees had made a good Summer growth 
and were full of vigor; the foliage of these was green 
and almost unharmed, especially on the strong-grow¬ 
ing upper shoots. In this case the less vigorous 
plants were on land from which trees had been re¬ 
moved but two years previous, and which had not 
recovered from the depletion of fertility by this 
former crop. The more fertile part had gone through 
the usual nurseryman’s rotation of several years 
without trees. In both instances the land was fiat; 
where elevation or air drainage could have had no 
effect, and where there were no forests, or water, or 
changes in soil, or other apparent factors, that could 
have brought about the differences mentioned. 
A number of similar examples along the same line 
which have come under my observation could 
be given. I call to mind a field of celery at 
Kalamazoo in which soil fertility seemed to off¬ 
set a hard frost. In a forestry experiment in 
Utah I noticed two successive seasons that the 
upper leaves and shoots, which we lisually 
speak of as “tender tips,” and which, of course, 
are best nourished and most vigorous, kept 
green after the lower leaves were badly frost¬ 
bitten. This test was a good one, as there were 
20 acres of young trees of many varieties grow¬ 
ing under uniform conditions. In fields of grain 
we often see green oases late in the season—al¬ 
ways the richest soil. The vegetation in barn¬ 
yards. and dooryards, spots of great fertility, 
keeps green until snow. Winterkilling of grains 
is most common on poor soils. Vitality in 
plants varies with the fertility of the soil. Not 
only are heat, drought and disease counter¬ 
acted by increased vitality through good nour¬ 
ishment, but frost as well, and to a consider¬ 
able extent, a fact not fully appreciated, and 
one which could be made of no little service 
in our climate. tj. n. iieduick. 
Michigan Agricultural College. 
THE FARM CAT. 
Very often cats are merely tolerated about 
the farm because the children like such pets; 
they are looked upon as decidedly inferior to'the 
dog, and jmssessed of no special rights. We 
forget that we are responsible for the happi¬ 
ness and well-being of any animal we take into 
our charge; it is our duty to act as its special Provi¬ 
dence, and thoughtlessness that results in needless 
suffering is quite as reprehensible as deliberate 
cruelty. Children and kittens seem born to harmon¬ 
ize; nothing is prettier than the human and feline 
baby gamboling together, but the child must be taught 
gentleness with its playfellow. Too often, when a 
rough squeeze causes the kitten to unsheath its 
needle-like claws, the child receives no admonition 
for his carelessness, the cat alone being punished. 
Cats, like all other pets, are infiuenced by their en¬ 
vironment; they are gentle, affectionate, and intelli¬ 
gent, in accordance with their surroundings. Con¬ 
trary to a current impression, a cat kept on short ra¬ 
tions is not the best hunter, because its senses are not 
so keen as when in good physical condition. A well- 
fed (not overfed) cat is likely to be the best mouser. 
Raw meat or fish is not advised; the food should be 
well cooked, and liberal in vegetables. Food vessels 
should always be kept clean, and conveniences for 
drinking should be supplied, as cats suffer severely 
from thirst. Grass is necessary to keep them in good 
health; this they find for themselves in the country, 
but in the city it is well to sow a little wheat or rye 
in a box, for the cat’s comfort. Catnip is, of course, 
a luxury to them. 
People who do not care for cats assert that they are 
not so intelligent as dogs. Personally, we are inclined 
to the contrary opinion; the dog, however, has the 
advantage of close human association, and of breed¬ 
ing intended to intensify certain lines of intelligence. 
It would not be difficult to adduce instances showing 
memory, reason, gratitude and affection on the part 
of the cat. 'fhe thoughtful tabby shown in Fig. 330 
is reproduced from a leaflet entitled “Only a Cat,” 
published by the Humane Education Committee, Pro¬ 
vidence, R. I., which gives, in compact form, instruc¬ 
tions for the proper care of such animals. 
CLOTHING A DESERT ISLAND WITH TREES. 
A good illustration of the peculiar public benefit to 
be obtained from scientific agriculture is given in the 
efforts to plant trees on Sable Island. This barren 
place lies about 90 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia, 
or 15iJ miles from Halifax. It is about 21 miles long, 
and lies in the shape of a crescent, without harbor 
or sheltered landing place. The Island is low, and 
dangerous shoals abound. In time of fog or storm 
it is really impossible to see the low sand bars of the 
Island and many a good ship has been dashed in 
pieces on its treacherous coast. Wrecks of vessels 
are to be seen all around the shore. The Canadian 
government determined to do something that would 
make the Island a clearer mark for the mariner’s eye, 
and after much discussion it was decided to plant 
trees in the hope that the dark foliage would show 
above the water. Prof. William Saunders, of the Can¬ 
adian Department of Agriculture, went to Europe and 
made a study of tree planting along the drifting sands 
of the French coast. Of course special varieties are 
required for such a barren, wind-swept place as Sable 
Island. Selections were made from tested French va¬ 
rieties, and also from those which have done well in 
Canada. In all, 81,600 little trees were taken to the 
Island for planting. An idea of the lalx)r involved in 
this enterprise may be had when we understand that 
A'WELh-KEPT F.MtM CAT. Fro. 330. 
the Island is visited only twice a year. The only way 
to reach the land is to ride in with the boat on the 
crest of the bi'eakers and then wade or ride on a stout 
man’s shoulders through the shoal water. In this 
slow and tedious way the planters were landed with 
their trees. It was necessary to select the best sites 
for the planting, but finally 10,000 were planted and 
the rest left for the lighthouse keepers to handle. 
It is not known yet how the trees have behaved dur¬ 
ing the Summer. Prof. Saunders writes us that he 
heard from the Island three weeks after the planting. 
At that time the pines, maples, willows, poplars and 
arbor vitm were looking well, with fair prospect for 
success. This experiment will be watched with in¬ 
terest, for the problem of reclaiming and saving the 
thin lands along the sea coast is an important one. 
The farmer and forester in a case of this sort are 
called upon to save human life by erecting a living 
danger signal far out at sea on this sandy bar. It is 
the chief business of the farmer to nourish and main¬ 
tain life, but here his science and experience must 
be used to warn the doubtful crew of the danger that 
confronts them. 
The season now closing has been the most profitable 
to the farmers of Maine that I can remember. Our hay 
and grain crop was exceiient, and the barn of every 
thrifty farmer is weli filled. The corn crop, both sweet 
and yellow, was never so good. On June 16 I planted a 
lot of the old-fashioned 16-rowed flint corn for the silo, 
and am now husking 1(X) bushels of nice sound corn iter 
acre from this late-planted cron. Our apple crop in 
central Maine is not large, but ot good quality, and will 
bring a good price. Buyers from Boston and New York 
are here, and offering from $2.50 to $3 per barrel. Hay 
to press is selling at the barns for $10 per ton. Potatoes 
are a fair crop and good quality. A good driving horse 
sells here for about $150, and a good Jersey cow for $10. 
Beef and working oxen are high. s. w'. cj. 
Skowhegan, Me. 
723 
HOW TO MAKE A FUMIGATION HOUSE 
So as to Distribute the Gas. 
Part II. 
These results have considerable practical bearing 
upon the construction of the fumigation house and 
the process of fumigation. Until recently almost all 
fumigation houses have been built with solid fioors, 
and the gas generated from a vessel which should be 
placed in the center of the room. Where the house 
is so constructed that a load of trees can be brought 
in and left on the wagon, a vessel can be readily 
placed under 'it in the center of the room, but where 
the trees are unloaded and packed in the room, it is 
decidedly inconvenient to leave a place in the center 
for the generator, and, as a matter of fact, I suspect— 
basing my suspicions upon observation and informa¬ 
tion from nurserymen—that but few of them do so, 
but merely leave a space near one corner near the 
door, and there place the generator. It is true that in 
a fumigation house packed full or partly full of trees 
the gas surrounding them would be much stronger 
than were the same amount generated in the same 
space empty, so that the manner of diffusion of the 
gas of a given strength in an empty room would not 
necessarily apply to it when full of trees. But on 
the other hand, it must be evident that the diffusion 
of a gas will be much slower where the currents of 
gas and air are impeded by the room being packed 
full of trees, so that these two considerations more 
or less balance each other. It must bd evident then 
that if the gas generated in one corner of a room re¬ 
quires 37 minutes to kill a guinea pig, it will not kill 
the San Jos§ scale, or otner scale insects, which 
are much harder to kill, in 30 minutes, which 
is the time often allowed by nurserymen when 
rushed, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether 
it would do so, under such conditions in 45 
minutes. 
Prof. Webster was the first, I believe, to note 
the possibility of incomplete diffusion with a 
solid floor, and recommended the use of a slat 
floor on which to place the trees, and devised 
an apparatus for dumping the cyanide into the 
generator placed niidcr the cenlrr of this slat 
floor. Recently, Prof. .Johnson has also recom¬ 
mended the use of a slat floor. The utility of 
this arrangement is readily seen from the above 
account of the poor diffusion of the gas when 
the generator is placed on a solid floor in the 
corner. Prof. Webster Informs me that most of 
the fumigation houses in Ohio are so made, and 
certainly ail new houses should be so con¬ 
structed to insure proper distribution of the gas. 
Indeed, old houses might be easily fitted with 
a slat floor above the present one, merely leav¬ 
ing room enough between for the generator. In 
addition to a device for dumping the cyanide 
into the generator under the center of the floor, 
I have devised a hood and tubes extending from 
it, as shown in Fig. 329, which necessitates 
the gas coming into the room from eight dif¬ 
ferent apertures placed almost equi-distant be¬ 
neath the slat floor, thus insuring an almost 
immediate complete diffusion. Underneath the 
slat floor run smooth wooden tubes, three 
inches square, along the diagonals of the room, 
and opening into a hood placed at the center covering 
the generator. These tubes, each of which extends 
from the center two-thirds of the distance to the cor¬ 
ner, are open at the ends, and also at points one-third 
from the center, thus affording eight points for the 
escape of the gas. The bag of cyanide is placed on 
the shelf, and the vessel containing water and acid 
is placed in the box A, at the end of the sliding board 
B. This board is then pushed down the incline C, and 
when under the hood the outer end is pushed down 
and held in place by a tightly fitting sliding door. The 
shelf on whicn the cyanide is placed, rests on a pivot, 
D, and projecting upward from it is a rod, E, thus 
forming a trap; so that when the box is thrown up 
beneath the hood this shelf is tipped and the cyanide 
dumped into the generator. This device is simple, 
easily made, and cheap, and it is believed will be 
found to add very considerably to the effectiveness 
and safety of the use of hydrocyanic acid gas in the 
fumigation house. e. uwigiit sandekson. 
Delaware Experiment Station. 
Experimental shipments of Bartlett pears to Europe 
were made by the Government last Summer. Prices for 
line stock were good, but the best way to pack and 
handle for this long shipment has not yet been learned. 
It is predicted tnat America will ship 600,000 barrels 
of apples to Europe this season, though where they are 
to come from is a mystery. Canada will ship nearly half 
of this. “Kings” are now seiilng at $5.50 per barrei in 
Ijlverpool. 
My white beans have turned out weli. over 20 bushels 
per acre, but I do not think they will average over 15 
bushels in western New York. Red kidneys are a very 
short croi) all over. o. a. 
Grleans Co,. N. Y. 
