788 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 23 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure 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 paper.] 
Cleaning Cockle Seed from Wheat. 
Reader. —A recent article in an agricul¬ 
tural paper says that cockle can be taken 
out of wheat by soaking all in a weak 
brine—the cockle rising to the top. Will 
not this soaking in brine injure the wheat 
for seed? 
Ans.—R egarding soaking grain in a 
strong solution of brine, I would say 
that the practicability of it would ap¬ 
pear to depend largely on the con¬ 
veniences at hand for treating the seed 
and drying it after soaking. I do not 
believe that a solution of brine will in¬ 
jure the germination, although I cannot 
speak positively on that subject. Strong 
solutions of salt are not as readily ab¬ 
sorbed by seeds as pure water, and the 
phenomenon has been observed that 
while a weak solution of a poisonous 
salt will injure germination, a very 
strong solution of the same salt can be 
tulips. The hardy or western species 
of Catalpa grows to large size and has 
large clusters of handsome flowers, but 
the branches are coarse and straggling, 
and although the leaves are large the 
shade is not dense. The Japanese wal¬ 
nuts make thrifty and beautiful shade 
trees. The nuts are not very valuable 
from an edible standpoint, but they are 
borne in abundance and the flavor is 
good. H. E. V. D, 
A Strange Apple Pest. 
W. B. F., Lawrence, Ind. —I send an apple 
that has been marked by some species of 
insect. I am at a loss to know what did it. 
I find many apples so marked on certain trees, 
and some on all. Is it the work of the I’almer 
worm? I do not think that it is the Codling 
worm. I have each year given the usual 
sprayings, and am not Injured much by scab 
or Insects, except the one that does this 
work. 
Ans. —It was not the work of any in¬ 
sect, but the fruits showed a curious 
kind of dry rot due to a fungus dis¬ 
ease. There were small, circular, dark- 
colored depressions in the skin of the 
apples, and often the skin had opened, 
leaving a circular hole. Below these 
spots the flesh was brown and pithy, 
extending to a depth of about one- 
quarter of an inch. Experts are not yet 
early Spring in good mellow soil, and 
then cultivated as any other plants 
should be. 4. There is a very excellent 
book to be had called “The Nursery 
Book,” by Prof. L. H. Bailey. The R. 
N.-Y. can furnish it for $1. 
H. E. V. D. 
Fitzgerald Peach; Arctic Apple. 
L. W. L., Natick, Mass. —1. How does the 
Fitzgerald peach compare with the Crawford 
as a market variety? 2. Will it pay to set a 
large orchard of the Arctic apple in Massa¬ 
chusetts? A few of my young trees bore this 
year for the first time, and they were very 
high colored, similar in this respect to the 
McIntosh. 
Ans.—1. Fitzgerald is an excellent 
yellow peach that ripens about with the 
Late Crawford or a little later, and is 
liked by those who have tried it, so far 
as I have heard. It is a good market 
peach. 2. The Arctic is too new and 
untried to warrant setting more than 
a few trees. This at least is my opinion 
at prespnt. I know the apples of this 
variety are apt to be very highly colored, 
and from a market standpoint it will 
probably be a good apple. The quality 
is not high, according to my taste. I 
also fear that the size may be a little 
too small, especially when the trees 
bear heavily. h. e. v. d. 
Rheumatic 
Sciatic, Sharp and Shooting Pains. 
Strains, Weakness and all bodily aches 
and pains relieved almost Instantly. 
Backache, Headache, Faceache, 
Chest Pains, and all Nervous Pains 
and Muscular Weakness cured by 
SUacobsOil 
After all other remedies fall. 
Acts like magic I 
Conquers Pain 
Price, 25 c and 50 c. 
SOLD BT ALL DEALEHS IN MEDICINE. 
used without Injury. We shall take op¬ 
portunity before long to make a test of 
the effect of brine upon the germination 
of grain seeds. a. j. pieters. 
Poultry Manure for Strawberries. 
H. G. B., ZionsviUe, Pa. —I have a straw¬ 
berry patch that was planted last Spring, and 
bore a good crop this Summer. What do you 
think about giving it a good dressing of poul¬ 
try manure this Fall, followed by a mulch of 
strong horse manure? Most of the old plants 
were plowed up, leaving only a narrow strip 
of row from which new plants spread out. 
Ans. —We should call this a case of 
“better late than never.” The poultry 
manure will help the strawberry plants, 
but it should have been put on in 
August or earlier for best results. That 
is the time to fertilize the strawberry 
for fruit, as the fruit buds are formed 
during the Fall. The manure will still 
prove useful, but would have been bet¬ 
ter two months ago. 
Clipping Alsike Clover. 
R. H. 8., Homer, Ont .—In the issue of 
October 12 of The R. N.-Y., on page 697, 
W. T. C., Albion, Ind., writes of clipping 
clover for a crop of seed. Of course he refers 
to Red clover: Could any readers of The 
R. N.-Y. tell me whether Alsike could bo 
treated the same way? If so, at what stage 
of growth should the clipping be done? 
Ans. —In the original article the 
“clipping” referred to may mean or¬ 
dinary cutting of the clover for seed and 
not merely the clipping of the heads. 
We know of no way by which the clover 
heads could be cut for seed leaving 
the straw standing. Alsike clover to 
be cut for seed should be allowed to 
approach maturity before cutting. It 
should become as mature and dry as 
possible without getting so dry that 
the seed will shell out. If the writer 
of the original article referred to can 
give information about clipping Alsike 
it might clear up this point. 
L. A. CLINTON. 
Grapes and Shade Trees for Massachusetts. 
E. A. O., Norfolk, Mass. —1. What varieties 
of red, black and white grapes would you 
recommend for this frosty section? I have a 
Worden vine and also suppose I have one of 
Diamond, but it has not yet borne. 2. What 
varieties of forest trees would you use for 
shade purposes besides maple and chestnut; 
elms are not wanted. Trees for size, beauty 
and durability are desired, as well as differ¬ 
ent kinds. Does the Catalpa grow to a large 
size? 
Ans. —1. Campbell is one of the newer 
but most excellent early black grapes. 
Winchell (also called Green Mountain) 
is a good white variety that ripens 
early, and Niagara is of the same color, 
but later and on the whole a better 
grape. Brighton is a red variety of the 
highest excellence. All of these are rea¬ 
sonably hardy. 2. The tulip makes a 
very good shade tree, and is well suited 
to street or yard planting. It makes a 
large and shapely tree, hiis beautiful 
foliage and bears flowers that resemble 
sure just what fungus causes this dry 
rot. Many varieties of apples are sub¬ 
ject to the trouble. Thorough work 
with Bordeaux Mixture should check 
it theoretically, but it has appeared in 
trees sprayed six times. Therefore, no 
way of checking it has yet been dis¬ 
covered, it seems, m. v. slingebland. 
Apples and Pears. 
H. 8. M., Canton, III .—1. Are the North¬ 
western Greening and Rhode Island the same 
apple? If not, which is the better apple? 
2. Will the Kleflfer pear bear as soon when a 
standard as when dwarf? 3. Is the Whit¬ 
ney apple one of the crabs, or is it a variety 
of the common apple? 4. Is the Twenty 
Ounce a desirable Fall apple? 
Ans. —1. The Northwestern Greening 
is entirely distinct from the Rhode 
Island Greening. It Is a variety that 
originated in Wisconsin, and is chiefly 
prized for its ability to endure severe 
cold. The fruit is large, very smooth 
and symmetrical, of only fair quality 
and ripens in the Fall in most sections. 
It is of no special value where the 
Rhode Island Greening is successfully 
grown. 2. The Kieffer pear bears so 
soon as a standard that there is no need 
whatever to use it as a dwarf. I have 
seen trees bear fruit at two years from 
the bud, and at four or five years old 
they usually bear abundantly. The 
greatest fault of the Kieffer, next to 
poor quality, is over-bearing. 3. The 
Whitney is more like the crab apples 
than like the true apples in size, ap¬ 
pearance and quality. It is quite hardy 
in tree and only valuable where good 
apples are grown with great difficulty 
on account of severe Winters. 4 . 
Twenty Ounce is a very good Fall 
Apple in most sections. It is large, 
beautifully striped with red and of fair 
quality. h. e. v. d. 
Several Nursery Questions. 
J. H. 8., Wapakoneta, 0. —1. What kind of 
an apple is the Winter Banana, and is it a 
good one? 2. What time of the year should 
I cut buds of peaches, plums and cherries? 
How should they be treated after cutting and 
before budding? 3. How can I start Carolina 
poplar best by the hundred? 4. Do you print 
a book of instructions to persons who are 
starting in the nursery business? 
Ans. —1. Winter Banana is an apple 
much like the Maiden Blush in color, 
being yellow when fully ripe and usu¬ 
ally with a beautiful red cheek. The 
size is about medium and the shape 
nearly round. The flavor is excellent. 
Prom what I have seen of the Banana 
apple I fear it will not keep later than 
midwinter in most sections. 2. Budding 
of all kinds of trees is usually done in 
August and September, and the buds are 
cut at that time. They should be kept 
moist and cool until used. I usually 
wrap them in wet paper and lay them 
in the cellar. 3. Carolina poplars start 
very easily from cuttings. They should 
be about a foo,t long and set out in 
Apples for Pennsylvania. 
L. IF. R., 8cranton, Pa. —I Intend to plant 
an apple orchard near this city on ground 
well drained, rolling and soil in fair condi¬ 
tion : elevation about 800 feet. I want trees 
that are young, prolific and annual bearing; 
those that are hardy, fruit long keeping, good 
quality and good color. Please advise me on 
the following, and how near they fill the 
above requirements: Boskoop, Arkansas, 
Mammoth Black Twig, McIntosh, Ontario, 
Salome and Scott. Will you name varieties 
more suitable for my location, or more suita¬ 
ble for commercial purposes, that will cover 
the requirements? What can you say regard¬ 
ing spurry as a green manure to plow under? 
Ans. —Our friend wants about “the 
whole thing” in the way of an apple 
orchard, and he is not to blame for 
such a desire. The great trouble comes 
in the extreme difficulty, if not the im¬ 
possibility, of finding just what he and 
many others would like to have in the 
way of varieties of Winter apples. I 
do not know of a single one that does 
not have objectionable points, and some 
of them are seriously so. All those men¬ 
tioned by him are probably quite un¬ 
suitable to his locality, which is central 
Pennsylvania. Boskoop is nothing ex¬ 
tra in any respect, so far as I know, 
and it is practically untried as a com¬ 
mercial apple. Arkansas is a seedling 
of Winesap that is larger and quite 
successful where its parent does well, 
but is not of so good quality. McIntosh 
is an improvement on Fameuse in size 
and quality, but is not a late keeper. 
Ontario is not so good as Northern 
Spy in quality, nor is it so late a keep¬ 
er, although it is one of its seedlings. 
I have been closely watching it during 
the past few months at the great Pan- 
American Exposition. Salome is neither 
large nor of high quality. Scott is a 
small red striped apple that is princi¬ 
pally valuable for its ability to with¬ 
stand severe Winters. While York Im¬ 
perial has some faults it is perhaps aa 
good as any Winter apple for Pennsyl¬ 
vania and many other sections. Rome 
Beauty is also a very good market ap¬ 
ple and is good enough in quality, for 
home use. Stayman is probably well 
worthy of trial there. I have never 
tried growing spurry, but am told it is 
a good crop for making humus when 
plowed under. h. e. v. d. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth .—Adv 
rh, 
Help] 
The 
by feeding her with 
Bowker’s 
Animal Meal 
It furnishes the material to make onus with. It 
will make your hens lay, and your cdiickens 
thrive. It’s the l) 08 t and cheapest of all poultry 
foods. Try it. EnouKh for ten hens, three 
months, Sl.OO; four times as much, J2.2fl. We 
send booklet, “The Egg,” free. 
\ THE BOWKER COMPANY, i 
[Dept. No. 7 , 48 Chatham St., Boston, Mass. ] 
>lorc Eg^ 
XargerE^gy 
Munson’s the earliest, 
handsomest. 
Address for Catalogue 
T. V. MUNSON a SON, 
Denison, Texas. 
Crapes 
§p^ 
SUCCEED WHERE 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
Fruit Book Frte. Result of 76 years' eiperiencs. 
STARS BROS.. Louisiana, Ko. i Dansville, N.T. 
GRAVES 
New Early Yellow Ql* ■ fl U 
_ FREE STONE r CAIl II 
Price list free. W. J. GRAVES, Originator, Perry, O. 
DamaL assortment; moderate 
■ vAvll price; all fumigated. 
R. 8. JOHNSTON, Box 4, Stockley. Del. 
In the crow of 
- --— ____ .w’my R C. Brown 
Leghorn cockerels, $1.25 each. They are good breed¬ 
ers. A. B. KATKAMIBK, Macedon,N. Y. 
There is Music. 
POTATOES 
'—Selected Seed. Price-List Free. 
‘ B. M. MARVIN, Sun, Mich. 
FINE NURSERY STOCK 
Grown in the famous Delaware fmlt land. Free from 
disease; true to name. Fralt Trees, Berry 
Plants, Asparagus Roots. Try onr prices on 
two-year Kieffer Pears. DOVER NTT RSERTiBa 
B. H. ATKINSON, Dover, DeL 
Fruit and Ornamental 
Shrubs, Piants, Seeds. 
Beet by 48 years test. Try ns. 
Direct deal will save you money. 
Catalog free. Satisfaction guaranteea. 
STORRS & HARRISON CO., 
Painesville, Ohio. 
Trees, Plants and Bulbs 
SJtJ Price-list free. See our Bulb Offer 
in October Rural New-Verker. 
T. C. FURNAS & CO., Sheridan, Ind. 
CARMAN. 
Earlier than Elberta; skin tough 
a good shipper. Consult our bud¬ 
ded list of Peach Trees (over 
1,200,000) 60 varieties; Asparagus, 
Strawberry Plants, Plum ana 
Apple Trees. Send for catalogue. 
UlUUISO.V’S KUKSEltlES, Uerlln, Hd. 
The October Purple Plum 
and Green Mountain Grape 
are among the best fruits ever introduced. We are 
headquarters for both, and have a full assortment 
of other Nursery Stock. A fine stock of Shade Trees. 
Write for our catalogue before buying a tree of 
any kind. It's free. 
STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS. New Cenaan, Coan. 
Rogers Trees are Safe Trees. 
no FOR FALL Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocus, Narcissus, LlUes, etc. 
■ ■ BIB OuB New Bulb Catalosub is sent free. It telle 
■KUkUU PLANlINO about the best bulbs, also seasonable'seeds 
piants, Including our celebrated grass mlx- 
and pleasure ground. HENRY A. DREER, Philadelphia, Pa. 
