852 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 21 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Ev^ery 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.] 
Starting Persimmon Seeds. 
L. A., Benton Harbor, Mich.—At what time 
and how deep should persimmon seeds be 
planted? 
Ans. —Plant soon after fruit is ripe, 
placing four inches apart and about two 
inches deep in rows three feet apart in 
good mellow soil. It is a good plan to 
cover rows with a board during Winter 
to keep out vermin. 
Linseed OH for Wheels. 
Keoder.—The tires of my carriage wheels 
are loose. Can I remedy this by soaking 
the rims in hot linseed oil, or is there 
danger of this treatment injui'ing the 
wheels? 
Ans. —Carriage makers say that when 
a tire becomes loose the proper thing is 
to have it set by a mechanic who knows 
his business. Soaking in oil would not 
be a permanent remedy and might do 
damage by lubricating the joints so that 
the spokes would work loose. 
Wood Ashes for Wheat. 
D. tv. //., Topeka, Irtd. —Would it pay to 
put wood ashes on drilled wheat; also 
Timothy that I expect to mow? I can get 
ashes for asking. When would be best 
time to put it on, and how much? 
Ans. —We would use all the ashes we 
could get. You may use two tons per 
acre. That is about the limit when they 
are bought. On level land we would ap¬ 
ply the ashes at any time when the snow 
is absent. On land inclined to wash we 
would use the ashes early in Spring. 
Ifa/ue of Sawdust. 
J. F. V., Maryland.—\s there any objection 
to the use of sawdust as bedding for 
stable? It must make a good absorbent. 
Ans. —No, except when there are sharp 
splinters or old nails in it. Sometimes 
the dust from an old ice house contains 
sharp substances which injure stock. 
Fresh sawdust contains an acid which 
is injurious to most plants when the 
dust is used too freely. This acid is 
overcome when the dust is rotted or used 
as an absorbent in manure. The am¬ 
monia in the manure neutralizes it. 
San Jose Scale. 
B. L. II., Campbelltown. Pa. —What are the 
insects or scales of which I send sample? 
Are they the San Jos6 scale? If so, what 
can I do to exterminate them? Some trees 
of little value I burned. The shavings 
sent are of the apple, currants and peaches. 
Currants are all coated. The twigs have 
1 eddish spots wdth minute grayish scales. 
Ans. —^The scale on the twigs received 
is the San Josd, or Pernicious. Cut the 
currants to the ground and spray the 
stumps. Trim the trees back and spray 
late in March with crude petroleum or 
whale-oil soap, two pounds to a gallon 
of water. Use same on currants at the 
same time. 
Cutting Asparagus Tops. 
A. S., OoUetcah, Ten;!.—When should the 
bushy growth of asparagus be cut? After 
the drought of June and July our crowns 
sent up a good growth of new shoots, and 
we allowed the whole to grow until De¬ 
cember. Should the first growth be re¬ 
moved earlier? Is it of any benefit to the 
crowns (five years old) to take only the 
largest spears during the cutting season, 
allowing the smaller to burst and branch? 
What is the proper time and method for 
applying commercial fertilizer to crowns 
set two years ago? 
Ans. —As a general rule the bushy 
growth of asparagus should not be cut 
during the growing season, or until it 
has thoroughly ripened after frost. It 
is not only of no benefit but positively 
detrimental to cut the strong shoots 
from the crowns, leaving the weaker 
ones to grow during the cutting season. 
It is much better to cut everything 
that appears above the soil while the 
season lasts, allowing all the shoots to 
grow as they are afterwards. Commer¬ 
cial fertilizers are best applied in Spring 
just at the close of the cutting season, 
or in young plantings before growth 
starts, and thoroughly plowed or culti¬ 
vated in. 
Rot-Resisting Grapes. 
O. L., Pomerania, N. J.—Can you give me 
the names of several varieties of grapes 
that do not rot? It does not make any 
difference whether they are wine or table 
grapes. Can you advise me where I can 
buy Norton grapevines? Nurseries do not 
keep them in stock it seems; at least they 
are not catalogued. 
Ans. —There are few grapes that are 
of such character as to be entirely ex¬ 
empt from rot, but Norton is one that I 
have never known to be thus affected. 
Cynthiana is exactly like it, and is 
thought by many to be the same variety 
with another name. Clinton rarely has 
any rot and the same is true of some of 
Munson’s new seedlings, although the 
latter have been but little tested. The 
three kinds named are all poor for table 
purposes. Norton is rarely offered by 
the nurseries because few customers 
want it, and it is very hard to propagate. 
It will not grow from cuttings, and vines 
must be layered from which plants are 
to be obtained. Some of the largest nur¬ 
series advertising in The R. N.-Y. may 
have them to sell. h. e. v. d. 
How to Keep Pears. 
.4. P., Moriches, N. 1'.—What is the proper 
method for keeping and ripening Winter 
pears, after they are picked? I give the 
care of the fruit my personal attention, 
and have followed minutely the directions 
given me by a popular nursery, buf every 
year my pears shrivel and become hard, 
without ripening. The varieties are the 
Lawrence, Easter, Mallnes and Anjou. 
So far I have had no difficulty in growing 
the pears, but have failed utterly in ripen¬ 
ing them. 
Ans. —Pears should be kept in closed 
packages, so the fruit cannot evaporate 
to such a degree that it will shrivel. If 
each specimen is wrapped in paper the 
possibility of evaporation will be still 
further lessened. In ordinary cellars or 
fruit houses the ripening of pears will 
go on in the way that is characteristic 
of each variety, but this will vary ac¬ 
cording to the warmth or coolness that 
may prevail. If the pears are put in cold 
storage the process of ripening will be 
very much retarded. When it is desired 
to have them ripen all that is necessary 
is to change a box or other package to 
a warmer room, but by no means ex¬ 
posing the fruit to the open air, because 
it would cause shriveling and loss of 
flavor. For family use I think it pays 
to wrap each pear in paper. It not only 
preserves the fruit from losing moisture, 
but flavor as well. h. e. v. d. 
“White Ants” on Apple Roots. 
It. O., Bluffs, lU.—l. I enclose some ant¬ 
like insects which I find on the roots of 
dead apple trees, which were set last 
Spring. What are they, and did they cause 
the death of the tree, or attack it after 
i* is dead? 2. Could I select better varie¬ 
ties of apples for sand in western central 
Illinois than York Imperial and Ben Davis? 
How would Stayman Winesap do on deep 
sand? 
Ans. —1. The ant-like insects were 
what are commonly known as “white 
ants,” because they look like true ants 
and have somewhat similar family rela¬ 
tions, but structurally they are quite re¬ 
motely related to the true ants in the 
insect world. White ants usually live 
in colonies in dry or decaying wood, or 
in books, and they often destroy librar¬ 
ies and buildings in the South and the 
tropics. They usually work in old logs 
or stumps in the North, but there are 
several records of their tunneling into 
living plants, such as geraniums. I do 
not recall any report of their working 
in trees in the North, but in the South 
they sometimes do much damage by eat¬ 
ing into the roots of orange trees. 
Hence, the white ants may have been 
the cause of the death of the trees, or 
they may have just begun to work in 
the dead roots, but as the trees were 
only set last Spring, I should be inclined 
to attribute their death to the insects. 
I would remove the infested trees care¬ 
fully, so as to get as many of the white 
ants as possible with the trees and then 
burn them. Thoroughly disturb the 
surrounding soil and do not allow any 
vegetation to grow there until you set 
new trees in the Spring. 2. Prof. Craig 
says that no varieties of apples will do 
as well in sand as in heavier soil. The 
trees may come into bearing a little 
earlier on sandy soils, but they usually 
do not last as long. Haas is a good va¬ 
riety to grow in sand, but it is not of 
high quality. He thinks the varieties 
mentioned will do as well as any oth¬ 
ers. Note what varieties your success¬ 
ful neighboring orchardists use, and 
study your market’s needs. 
M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
Peaches for Central Illinois. 
J. M'G., Havana, lU.—l. What varieties of 
peaches would you advise for central Illi¬ 
nois, one-third to be extra early and the 
remainder continuous in ripening? Name 
the best three clings for the latter part of 
the season. I expect to put out about 200 
trees. My soil is quite sandy. Do June 
budded peach trees come Into bearing as 
soon as older trees, or, what is the dif¬ 
ference? 2. How can grub worms be kept 
out of composted stable manure? They 
damaged my sweet potatoes seriously. Is 
fiesh manure adapted to sweet potatoes, 
plow'ed under early In Spring? 
Ans. —1. Of the very early peaches Tri¬ 
umph, Sneed and Greensboro are three 
good ones. Following these the Bishop, 
Mountain Rose, Blberta, Emma and 
Chairs are good. Of the very late clings 
the 'Henrietta, Wilkins and McDeavitt 
are the best I know. Sandy soil is good 
for peach culture. June-budded peach 
trees are a little behind those of the 
usual character in bearing. They are 
small and of feeble growth when set, 
and could not be expected to grow so 
rapidly and bear so early as the older 
and stronger trees do. 2. The beetles 
which lay the eggs that make white 
grubs are almost sure to find every pile 
of manure whether in heaps or scatter¬ 
ed, and I know of no way profitably to 
keep them out. Mosquito netting would 
be costly, but It would protect the piles 
from the beetles getting to them. It 
might pay to cover the compost heaps 
in this way. I have often seen fresh 
stable manure put into the land which 
was planted to sweet potatoes the same 
year, but it did not prove as suitable 
as that which was well rotted. Stirring 
it in with the soil by repeated plowing 
or deep cultivation before planting 
would have an excellent effect. 
H. E. V. D. 
Dr. D. Jayne’s Expectorant certainly does no 
directly to the root of all Throat and Lung troubles- 
There is abundant evidence cf this in its sixty-two 
years’ record cf cures.— Adv. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
K. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
with the “inoonip»r«ble’ 
BORDEAUX NOZZLEjf 
And onr world V bcRt oot6t yoa are ab«o S 
i late master of the situatloii. Intacta and dis'| 
lease &U1 before this alt oonquerin)? outfit.^ 
fSe® the book. It is free. Write for it now. 
THE HKMINfJ CO., SALEM, OHIO. 
Western Agts., Henlon A Habbell, Chicago. 
Agents and Dealers Wanted 
to Bell Kipplcj’ft 8 and 5 Crallon Com* 
pressed Air Sprayers, also large orchard spray* 
era. We have the best, and eel 1 them under a gnaraa* 
tee. A card will bring catalogne and terms. 
Rlppley Hardware Co., Box 223, Grafton, llllnolt 
P otatoes—Bovee,Cannan.Cobbler,Harvest,GWefks 
Ohio,Rose,Th'bred. 85 kinds. C.W.Ford.Fishers.N.Y. 
nflWaTflFe—Selected Seed. Price-List Free, 
rU I II I UC9 B. M. MARVIN, Sun, Mich. 
ADIUEC New Early Yellow DCIPII 
UnAffCo FREESTONE rClllin 
Price list free. W. J. GRAVES. Originator, Perry, O. 
Don’t Forget Kevitt • Kevitt for Strawberry 
Plants. List free. T. C. KEVITT, Athenia, N.J. 
Trees, Plants and Bulbs 
Price-list free. See onr Bulb Offer 
Id October Rural New-Terker. 
T. C. FURNAS A CO., Sheridan, Ind. 
SUCCEED WHERE 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
Fruit Bock Frtt. Result of 76 years’ experienc. 
NORTHERN-GROWN FRUIT TREES 
Best market varieties. Free from disease. All con¬ 
veniences for itacking dealers’orcers. My prices as 
low as the lowest: my stockasgood as the best. Write 
for free catalogue. Insiiuctlve; Interesting. 
MAUTIN WAHL, 351 Oregory St.,Rochester, N.Y. 
THEf^A VORITES 
In all markets are the YORK 
IMPERIAL and BEN DAVIS 
apples. La'ge yleiders and good 
keepers. We have a large stock of 
fine trees. Thirty five other varie¬ 
ties: Peacnes. tiears, etc. Send 
for catalogue. HARRISON’S 
NURSBRlttS, Box 2«, Berlin, Md. 
While 3’oii have the time to attend to 
it, and the Nurseries have a Full Stock 
to select from, make out your orders for 
Fruit Trees, and send direct to some re¬ 
liable Nursery for them. 
Hundreds of our be.st Fruit Growers 
say, the best trees that they ever received 
came from Call’s Nurseries, Perry, O. 
Write them for Price List. 
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 due stock of Shade Trees. 
Write for our catalogue before buying a tree of 
any kind. It’s free. 
STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS, New CanMn, CiM. 
DREER’S GARDEN CALENDAR for 
FlantSf Bulbs, etc. It will contain 208 pages, 4 colored plates of Flowers and Vegetables, and bound in 
highly illuminated covers. Send lO cents now, and have your name enrolled for a copy. This amount 
you can deduct from your first order. HENRY A. HKEER. Phllauelphia, Fa. 
Rogers Trees are Safe Trees 
FRUIT 
The VALUE of my trees is De¬ 
monstrated by the Truth of the va¬ 
riety. Order now. Get prst choice. 
12 PEACH TKEKS, choice kinds, 
mailed to any part United States, $1 12 plants M EKSEREAU BLACKBERRY, mall, $1 
you till Spring. Easy terms. For further information write me now. 
Cayuga Nur. cries. Established 1847. II. 8. WII.EY, CAYUGA, 
TREES 
stock saved for 
N. Y. 
etc., advertise themselves. The best always 
cheapest. Have hundred of car loads of 
Fruits and Ornamentals, 
40 acres of Hardy Roses. 44 greenhouses of 
Palms, Ficus, Fern, Roses, etc. Correspondence 
_ __ _solicited. Catalogue free. 48 years. 1000 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., Painsville, O. 
BURPEE S-SiiSi 
If YOU want the 
ARE THE 
THAT CAN BE CROWNl 
If you want the choicest vegetables or most beautiful 
flowers you should read Burpee’s Farm Annual for 1902 —so well known as the 
“ Leading American Seed Catalogue ” It ismailed FREE to all. Better send your address TO-DAY. 
W.’ATLKB BURFEE & CO.. FHILADEUFHIA. 
HIGH GRADE .FERTILIZERS 
OUB PRICES LOW. QUALITY PUKK. 
Write for Memorandum Book, Prices and Samples. 
The Scientific Fertilizer Gc ■ jHERRp®T.jg3Upc 
