20 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JAN. ii 
pounds per head, and the wool sold lor 30 
cents per pound or §72 in all. We also 
raised 24 half-blood Shropshire lambs 
which sold, when six months old, at $2.50 
per head, or for $60 for all, making $132 for 
wool and lambs. This is perhaps the best 
source of income for the year; but it can¬ 
not be extended much with proportionate 
profit; for we can keep a few sheep at little 
expense. We have Plymouth Rock poultry 
and 20 hives of bees in chaff hives. We 
have four horses—one, a large, gamy six- 
year-old gelding which I have been speed¬ 
ing this full. With a little practice he got 
down to 2.50. He is now for sale, being too 
fast for farming, and if we could get one- 
hundreth part of Axtell’s price for him he 
would be our most profitable product; still 
I don’t think we should expend much on 
trotters. We raise plenty of fruit for 
home use and some to sell. Two of us do 
all the out door work, and the women tend 
the poultry. We are all kept grinding. 
Oakland County. A. B. 
NEW JERSEY NEWS. 
I find that miik has been about the only 
paying product during the past year. 
Rain, constant and profuse, ruined the to¬ 
mato and potato crops and prevented the 
proper harvesting of hay and grain. Pas¬ 
ture, of course, has been abundant. Or¬ 
dinarily tomatoes and milk are paying 
crops. Last year Red-Top seed was a 
money “ crop.” Poultry is an important 
source of revenue ; but too much rain in¬ 
duces roup and kindred diseases. These 
are harder to conquer on our heavy soil 
than on lighter land. 
This coming year, I shall keep more and 
better cows, increase the acreage of toma¬ 
toes, conjure the gods to measure out a 
fair proportion of dry weather for this sec¬ 
tion and hope for more money. J. s. s. 
Salem County, 
INDIANA INDUSTRIES. 
SMALL fruits paid best this year. I have 
about a quarter of an acre in raspberries 
and as much in strawberries, but only a 
part of the latter were in bearing this sea¬ 
son. They paid best because the profits 
were more per acre than those from any 
other crop, considering the cost of produc¬ 
tion. The prices were good. Those for 
strawberries averaged about 10J£ cents per 
quart, and those for raspberries 10 cents 
per quart. It will pay to increase the crop. 
I increased my strawberry beds to 1 % acre 
this fall and will set more in the spring. I 
have set 1,650 blackberries and will increase 
the number of raspberries also. Among 
strawberries the Jewell has paid me the 
best. Being very productive, of large size, 
good shape, and nice, bright color, it made 
a very attractive berry in market. The pota¬ 
to crop has paid second-best. 1 had three dif¬ 
ferent pieces planted to potatoes this season, 
with quite different results. The first was 
about three quarters of an acre planted in 
drills on a low, black, sandy loam soil. 
Stable manure was drawn on during last 
win ter as fast as made. In 32 rows, 150 feet 
long, of early potatoes, three barrels of 
chicken manure were dropped on the pota- 
oes before they were covered. The tubers 
were all smooth and nice and free from 
scab, and the yield was about 200 bushels 
per acre. The second piece, about one-quar¬ 
ter of an acre, was a clayey soil. One-half 
of it had been in strawberries three years, 
and the other half had been under beans 
and cabbage the year before. No manure 
was applied, and the result was that the 
strawberry-bed part of the potatoes were 
nice, large and perfectly smooth, while on 
the other half they were so scabby as to be 
unfit for sale. The third piece—about one- 
half acre adjoining the barn-yard—was sod 
about four years old. The soil was gravelly. 
The water from the barn and barn-yard ran 
over a part of it. Around the barn the po¬ 
tatoes were smooth, while those farthest 
from the barn were so scabby as to be unfit 
for use. D. w. G. 
Lagrange County. 
JruXusfl Societies. 
HORTICULTURAL MEETING. 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.) 
Remedies and insecticides for the Striped 
Cucumber Beetle: the Cherry-tree Slug; 
thecurculio and Strawberry-root Louse: 
London-purple, Eau Celeste and the 
Bordeaux Mixture; sulphate of copper 
for fungoid growths, or mildews; ani¬ 
mals pasturing in sprayed orchards; 
various opinions of strawberries, rasp¬ 
berries, blackberries, currants, apricots, 
pears, apples, plums, quinces and, 
grapes. 
The Ohio State Horticultural Society 
held its 23d annual meeting at Columbus 
on December 11th, 12th and 13th. At 2 P. 
M. the meeting was called to order by Pres. 
G. W. Campbell at the Ohio Experiment 
Station. Prof. C. M. Weed of the station 
opened the exercises with an article en¬ 
titled “ A Season’s Work among the Insect 
Enemies of the Horticulturist.” The re¬ 
sults of his experiments in preventing the 
ravages of the Striped Cucumber Beetle 
seemed to indicate that covering the plants 
with light gauze, supported either by sticks 
or wires to keep it away from the plants, 
was the most satisfactory preventive. The 
Cherry-tree Slug was easily destroyed by 
hellebore, pyrethrum or London-purple. 
This year’s experiments in spraying plum 
and cherry trees to destroy the curculio con¬ 
firmed the results of last year’s work and 
fully demonstrated that the “ Little Turk ” 
can be conquered thereby. Of the cherries 
sprayed only 22 4-5 per ceut. were wormy ; 
while on trees not sprayed 56 per cent, 
were injured. A solution of one ounce of 
London-purple in 10 gallons of water was 
strong enough. B. F. Albaugh said a solu¬ 
tion of this strength would iujure peach 
leaves or the native or Chickasaw type of 
plums, which are more tender than the 
European kinds in this respect. Prof. Weed 
found spraying with a mixture of London- 
purple and the Bordeaux Mixture had 
proved very beneficial in preserving plums 
not only from the curculio but also from 
rot. Eleven trees thus treated bore enor¬ 
mous crops, but the mixture still adhered 
to the plums at picking time, making it 
necessary to wash them in a weak solution 
of vinegar and water. He thought the Eau 
Celeste and London-purple would answer 
the same purpose and not adhere to the 
fruit. 
The preparat ons of sulphate of copper 
seemed to be as effectual in combatting 
fungi as the arsenites were in destroying 
insect enemies. The two remedies might 
often be mixed and applied at one opera¬ 
tion to good advantage. The best method 
of preventing the ravages of the Strawberry- 
root Louse, which was doing considerable 
damage around Columbus, was to adopt a 
proper rotation, not leaving the same patch 
too long under the crop, and carefully to 
avoid setting plants from infested fields. The 
use of the Bordeaux Mixture to prevent 
apple scab seemed to increase rather than 
diminish the evil. Pres. Campbell said it 
was pretty thoroughly established that 
spraying with either the Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture or Eau Celeste was an effective reme¬ 
dy for grape rot or mildew. Prof. Weed 
said that, contrary to the general opinion, 
he had found that London-purple when in 
unbroken packages direct from the manu¬ 
facturers, was very uniform in streugth. J. 
J. Harrison said he had lost a cow by pas¬ 
turing in a sprayed orchard. N. A. Albaugh 
related a number of instances which seemed 
to show that there was very little danger 
in pasturing stock after spraying. 
Prof. Green read an able paper on the 
work of the experiment stations of the 
United States. He hoped the time would 
soon come when the planting public could 
be protected from worthless “new varieties 
and novelties,” and when the originator of 
really valuable varieties would receive a 
just reward. Mr. Thorne of the station 
thanked the society for the hearty support 
it had always given the station. 
The remaining sessions were held at the 
City Hall. 
Prof. Lazenby presented an instructive 
paper the “Botanical Structure of Fruits.” 
He thought we should strive to eliminate 
the seeds as much as possible. James Ed- 
gerton, of Barnesville,said the Bubach was 
likely to supersede the Sharpless in that 
famous strawberry center. Crescent had 
been his most profitable variety. Jessie 
was very much like Sharpless. In the re¬ 
ports and discussions on small fruits, Bu¬ 
bach, Warfield and Haverland were men¬ 
tioned as safe to plant by the acre, while 
Eureka, Viola, Crawford and Pearl were 
worthy of trial. Jessie does well in some 
places. 
In raspberries the Palmer was highly 
recommended by all who had tried it. It 
is no earlier than Souhegan, Doolittle and 
others so far as the first picking is concern¬ 
ed; but it ripens the bulk of its crop earlier 
and is larger and more productive. Ada is 
doing remarkably well with some and dis¬ 
appointing others. It seems to be worthy 
of trial. It is a week later than Gregg, and 
nearly as large. 
Mr. Crawford says Muskingum is very 
similar to Shaffer, but is hardier, more pro¬ 
ductive, firmer and of better quality, but 
scarcely so large. Hilborn was said to be 
the best second-early, of very fine appear¬ 
ance and flavor, hardy and productive. 
Gregg still holds first place where it suc¬ 
ceeds. Marlboro was recommended for 
home use, but not for market; for the lat¬ 
ter purpose Hansell was said to be super¬ 
ior. Summer pruning of red raspberries 
was condemned. Fall planting of black¬ 
berries and red raspberries was advised, 
while it would be better to set black-caps 
in the spring. 
Snyder was said to be the most profitable 
blackberry. It requires good culture and 
severe pruning. Mr. N. Olimer cultivates 
thoroughly until the berries are gathered 
and then stops? thus allowing the wood to 
ripen before winter. By this method he 
had grown Kittatinny successfully for 
many years. The Erie was said to be about 
equal to the Kittatinny in hardiness. It 
had stood 12 degrees below zero uninjured. 
In currants W. W. Farnsworth preferred 
Victoria. He had picked 25 % bushels from 
163 bushes last summer, some of the best 
yielding 12 to 14 quarts each. 
The plants were three by eight feet apart 
on rich, moist, sandy loam. He manures 
heavily, cultivates thoroughly and prunes 
closely, especially the first year or two. 
Fay was a failure with him and many 
others; while some had succeeded finely 
with it. President Campbell considered it 
of poor quality. 
The Russian Apricot was said to be as 
subject to damage from frost when in 
bloom as the European varieties and there¬ 
fore not likely to be of any more value. 
Mr. Ohmer had found pear culture profit¬ 
able. He would plant the trees 20 feet 
apart and set out but a few varieties. He 
recommended Bartlett, Lawrence and 
Keiffer for standards and Duchesse for a 
dwarf. George W. Trowbridge said Dana’s 
Hovey was one of the very best for home 
use. Mr. Ohmer said just as much care and 
skill were required in ripening and market¬ 
ing as in growing pears. 
N. Cox has 120 acres in apple orchards on 
the hills of Lawrence County—mainly 
Rome Beauty. The trees were planted 20 
feet apart. He cultivates corn in the or¬ 
chard two or three years, then seeds down 
and pastures with sheep. On deep, rich 
soils sheep are better than hogs for an or¬ 
chard. Star and Grimes’s Golden are rec¬ 
ommended for general culture. 
The European varieties of plums are 
preferable to the natives. The Champion 
Quince is too late for Ohio. Quince-leaf 
blight, Prof. Weed thinks, can be prevented 
by the use of the Bordeaux Mixture. 
L B. Pierce read a valuable article on 
“Country Door-Yards,” illustrated by 
drawings showing the advantage of ever¬ 
green screens and wind-breaks both as or¬ 
naments and for their practical value. B. 
F. Albaugh urged a more general planting 
of evergreens and deciduous trees. R. A. 
Hunt said the Worden and Concord were 
the two leading varieties of grapes around 
Cleveland. 
The meeting was then adjourned to re¬ 
convene at the Ohio Experiment Station on 
Wednesday, June 9, 1890. 
W. W. FARNSWORTH, SECRETARY. 
Cucnjuiljct'f. 
BERMUDA ISLANDS AND THEIR 
VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. 
The Bermudas or Somers Islands are a 
small group of Islands numbering 365 in 
all, of which only 12 to 15 are inhabited 
and having an area, all told, of only 12,000 
acres. They are situated 690 miles due 
southeast from New York, 800 miles due 
east of Charleston, S. C., and 780 miles south 
of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The group ex¬ 
tends from northeast to southwest in a 
direct line about 17 miles, having a width 
of about two miles. It is a British colony 
and an army and navy stronghold. The 
population is 15,000, a God-fearing people. 
Between November and April the thermom¬ 
eter ranges from 50 to 75 degrees and dur¬ 
ing the summer months the temperature is 
never higher than 86 degrees. About 2,000 
acres are under cultivation, on which are 
raised, during the winter months, onions, 
potatoes, tomatoes, beets, peas and all the 
garden vegetables. About 300,000 bushels of 
onions, 40,000 barrels of potatoes, 100,000 
boxes (one peck each) of tomatoes, 8,000 
bushels of beets and a few peas, lettuce 
and such things are sent to New York and 
to her United States ports each winter. 
“ The early bird ” gets the large prices for 
his produce. The New York market us¬ 
ually opens in January for potatoes at $8 
per barrel; for onions at $3 per bushel: for 
tomatoes at $1 per peck ; but the prices di¬ 
rectly run down to $6 for potatoes, $2 for 
onions and 75 cents for tomatoes, and later 
in the season, after the Florida vegetables 
begin to come in, the prices run much 
lower. Our method of raising onions is as 
follows: The onion seed (black seed) is all 
raised in the Madeira Islands; no other 
seeds will bottom. The two varieties are 
White (early) and Red (late). About 
September 15 the farmer who contemplates 
raising onions the coming winter, will select 
a small piece of the richest land, and after 
manuring it very highly with well rotted 
pig manure, plant therein in beds quite 
thickly his White Onion seed. This is 
what he calls his “seedbed” and this he 
watches with great solicitude, as on his 
success with his seed-bed depends, in a 
large measure, his crop. The Red Onion 
seed will be planted in the same way about 
October 15. From these beds the plants 
are all drawn and transplanted into the 
fields in beds when the proper season ar¬ 
rives. The White is usually transplanted 
from December 1 to January 15, and the 
Red from December 15 to February 1. It 
is no use to transplant after these dates. 
The harvesting begins in January and ends 
in May. The question is often asked: 
“ Why transplant ? ” First, we do so be¬ 
cause ti’ansplanted onions bottom quicker 
and better, and, next, it is much easier to 
weed and care for enough plants for two 
acres, from September 15 to December 1, in 
a bed two rods in area than in one 320 rods 
in area. Our weeds do not die on being 
cut down with a hoe, as those in the North 
do ; but we have to pull up each and every 
one and carry it away to the pig-sty. If 
stirred about with a hoe they simply enjoy 
it, rooting down in a night’s time, and go 
on rejoicing. We transplant nearly every¬ 
thing, as there is no difficulty about mak¬ 
ing all sorts grow. We transplant pumpkin 
vines and also—stranger still—slip them. 
The onion crop is crated in 60-pound 
crates which the farmer has made on rainy 
days from material which is brought “knock 
down ” from the pineries of Maine and New 
Brunswick. This crate costs the farmer, 
already made, about 13 cents. 
Bermuda Islands. RUSSELL HASTINGS. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
| Jl Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure atten¬ 
tion. Before asking a question, please see if it 
is not answered in our advertising columns. 
Ask only a few questions at one time. Put 
questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
PLANTING AN APPLE, PEAR AND PEACH 
ORCHARD. 
C. A. H., Rayville, Md.— What are the 
best varieties of apples, pears and peaches 
for Northern Maryland ? I am about to 
plant 1,000 of each for a market orchard, 
my object being profit. Would it be best 
to plant on hilly or low meadow land P My 
idea is to plant the apple trees 30 by 30 feet 
apart and put a peach tree between two 
apple trees in the row, and a row of peach 
trees 15 feet apart between each set of 
apple-tree rows, so that the trees would be 
15 feet apart. I would plant standard 
pear trees 20 by 20 feet apart and put a 
dwarf pear tree between each two standards 
in the row, and a row of dwarfs between 
each two rows of standards, so that the 
trees would be 10 feet apart. Are these dis¬ 
tances advisable ? I would want to eulti 
vate crops of some kind in the orchard and 
to get the largest possible quantity of fruit 
from it. I am thinking of plant¬ 
ing the Baldwin and Gravenstein Apples 
for fall and winter profit. Are there any 
better winter kinds ? What kinds of pears 
had I better plant—summer, fall or winter 
varieties ? Are there any better than the 
Anjou, Seckel and Lawrence f Is there a 
better dwarf than the Duchesse ? Would 
it be better to plant a succession of peaches 
or should all be late ? Is the Wonderful 
the best late peach for profit? Would it be 
advisable to buy the trees from nurseries in 
this county or would trees brought from 
a distance do as well ? I can buy much 
cheaper from either a New Jersey or New 
York nursery. 
