682 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
filling the basket. He also exhibited specimens of Clair- 
geau, Seckel, Beurr6 Diel, Keiffer, Lawrence and Anjou, 
all of which were smooth and almost free from the marks 
of coddling worm or curculio. He also showed a few fine 
apples; among them Smith's Cider as fine as ever I saw. 
The freedom from blemish was credited to the use of the 
arsenites for the worms and the carbonate of copper for the 
scab. It was a grand exhibit for the advocates of spraying. 
There was also a fine plate of Ford’s Late Peach, grown, I 
think, in South Jersey. The display of grapes was good. 
The Concords were very fine. The new Colerain was of 
good quality and it either ripens quite early or is a poor 
keeper. My opinion is that from the appearance of the 
fruit it will be an early grape of very good quality. Those 
interested in nut culture were treated to a fine show of 
Japan Chestnuts by Mv. Parry of Parry, N. J. Among 
them were Early Prolific—a medium sized nut—Eureka, 
Early Reliable, Japan Giant—small from imported stock— 
Japan Giant—home grafted and very large—Success, an 
extremely large nut with very full burrs. I believe the 
opinion of the public was that the college was doing a 
good work for horticulture, and that it has a corps of 
efficient officers ever ready to help the farmer, the fruit¬ 
grower and gardener with able counsel. Long may it 
prosper!” 
Some Connecticut Farms.— Now and then we have a 
report from some former resident who goes back to look 
over New England farms and farming. These reports are 
always interesting because such men are keen observers, 
who are able to make accurate and just comparisons. The 
following report was sent us from Hartford County, Con¬ 
necticut: “This is a farming community, but there are 
no deserted farms here. There are several for sale at such 
prices as would warrant any one with money, brains and 
a desire for a farmer’s life to purchase. There are no very 
bright prospects for farmers to get rich here, as the word 
‘rich’ is usually understood; but, on the other hand, no 
one willing to work need have any fear of poverty. The 
soil is not so fertile as in some of our Western States, but 
what it produces brings better prices. The one great want 
here is capital. As a rule, the farmers are working to dis¬ 
advantage, because they have not money enough to put 
their farms in condition to be the most profitable. I think 
I may safely say the farms in this township could be made 
to pro luce at least twice as much as they now do, and that 
with greater profit. The men I have conversed with agree 
with me as to the fact; but say: ‘Wehave no money to buy 
fertilizers, and must continue in the old way, even when 
we know another would be better.’ It would not be cour¬ 
teous in me to point out to them—as I might—the fact 
that a good deal of money is spent for things their fathers 
knew nothing of, and that luxury, in a comparaive sense, 
perhaps, has much to do with the slim condition of their 
pockets. The grass crop is, doubtless, the most important 
tiere. The yield of hay will not average more than a ton 
to an acre; while there is scarcely a meadow that could 
not readily be made to produce twice the amount.” 
FLOWER GARDEN NOTES. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
Our garden is still gay with lots of blossoms, for frost 
has not yet visited us; but we expect it soon will be here 
and we have to prepare for it. We generally get a sharp 
nip during the first week of October, and after that for a 
time a spell of fine, bright weather. Before frost sets in, 
gather seeds of petunias, scarlet salvias, balsams, cocks¬ 
combs, and all other tender annuals. A sharp frost will 
completely destroy heliotropes, cannas and coleuses, and 
there is no use in cumbering up the ground with these 
after they are bitten, so, for tidiness sake, let us remove 
them. But geraniums, French marigolds, and even dah¬ 
lias may, after a touch of frost, still give many pretty 
blossoms, and unless they are so badly injured they may 
be spared a while. Tender plants, as geraniums, petunias, 
abutilons, and the like, for winter blooming, should long 
ago have been lifted and potted so as to become well estab¬ 
lished before winter sets in. But where this has not been 
done it should now be attended to and all be brought under 
cover. I get up a fresh stock of coleuses, alternantheras, 
geraniums and other bedding plants in August or early 
September so as to have them firmly potted or boxed off in 
loam and established before cold weather sets in, and I 
never attempt to save any old plants of these. Young 
plants are better and healthier than old ones, and they 
take up less room in their winter-quarters. But old plants 
of erythriua. datura and the like I lift and save. In lift¬ 
ing gladiolus and galtonia bulbs, don’t expose them to 
frost; no matter how hardy the bulbs may be when they 
are buried in the ground, gladioluses at least, when ex¬ 
posed on the surface of the soil, are tender. The same is 
the case with dahlia and tropical ipomsea roots. 
Many may have been troubled afiout losing their canna 
roots in wiuter. Well, remember this : frost should never 
reach canna root stocks, nor should they be kept in a very 
warm temperature; leave part of the ball of dirt about 
them when you lift them, and lay them on a moderately 
moist floor. Never allow them to get dust-dry in winter. 
Too great dryness kills more canna roots in winter than 
perhaps any other cause. But do not keep them wet— 
slightly moist is enough—and do not pile them in a heap 
one above the other. If you grow amaryllises in pots, slop 
watering them altogether, and let them get perfectly dry 
and stay dry till mid-winter or spring when they show signs 
of again starting into growth, then bring them to the light, 
give them a little water and let them start to grow and 
bloom if they are inclined to. Many of you may now have 
a lot of potted plants, for instance, stevias, bouvardias, 
carnations, begonias and the like in sheltered places about 
the garden, or on the piazza; now protracted wet, foggy 
weather will do them as much harm as frost, especially to 
the begonias; then my advice to you is to take them inside 
and save a lot of bother. The chrysanthemums are now 
showing their flower buds abundantly. If you would like 
to have fine, large blossoms instead of a lot of common¬ 
place ones, rub off at least two-thirds of these flower buds 
now. Rub off all the small and deformed buds and retain 
only the full and perfect ones. This applies to outdoor 
plants as well as to those in pots. In the case of freshly 
potted hyacinth bulbs be very particular not to allow them 
to get wet overhead from rain or artificial means; this 
wetting overhead rots more hyacinths than any other cause 
I know of. 
TALKS WITH FARMERS. 
J. W. NEWTON. 
There is one phase of the middleman question that I 
have never seen discussed. A farmer sends a shipment of 
produce to a commission merchant. The latter sells it for 
a certain sum. He pockets one fourth to one-half of this 
and sends the remainder to the farmer. I have recently 
heard of an instance where a lot of butter was sent to a 
merchant, who sold it for 32 cents per pound. He sent the 
farmer 16 cents and kept the rest! Is it not possible to put 
a stop to such things ? The middleman may be a neces¬ 
sity, but is it necessary that farmers should be exposed to 
such robbery ? If a man breaks into a house and steals 
$50, the government sends its officers after the thief and 
punishes him. Why should not the government punish 
the middleman who robs a farmer ? Inspectors and officers 
are employed to see that laws against milk adulteration, 
etc., are enforced ; why cannot some system of license and 
inspection be perfected which will protect farmers ? 
Bankers and business men are protected by law, the 
farmer pays a large part of the taxes and is robbed. Can¬ 
not the organized farmers put a stop to this evil ? 
A great many business and professional men spend all 
of their earnings as fast as they get them. They say to 
the farmer : “ You have as much money at the end of the 
year as we do.” They carry the idea that the farmer has 
as much for his labor as the merchant. But there are 
few farmers who get as good pay for their work as per¬ 
sons in other occupations. Of course, it does not cost 
A Nursery Row. 
farmers as much to live as it does those who live in towns; 
but the men who get lots of money have it to use; the 
farmer must go without many things ; he must take the 
greatest pains to avoid running into debt. Salaried men 
lay up something by having their lives insured, and join¬ 
ing some form of benevolent organization. A man gets 
his life insured, pays his dues, and provides for his family. 
Another form of organization pays its members certain 
sums at certain times. The reason why the great mass 
of farmers do not get more money is, not because farming 
is not really a paying business, but because certain evils 
have grown up which deprive the farmer of his just profits. 
Where these evils do not exist farmers get good pay for 
their work. Most, if not all of these evils can be done 
away with, and when they are, farming will pay as well 
as any other business. 
Farmers’ organizations are doing one part and a great 
part of the work which must necessarily be done in order 
that farming may pay. No doubt they are making mis¬ 
takes; that is unavoidable. All people make mistakes. 
The great thing is to learn by them. The Farmers’ Alli¬ 
ance seems to be making some mistakes; but it does not 
seem likely to go to pieces, and even if it should, other or¬ 
ganizations, especially the Farmers’ League, stand ready 
to take up the work. The League is probably stronger in 
some respects than any other similar organization; but the 
Alliance has its work to do, and even if in time it should 
go to pieces, it will doubtless last until it has done good 
work. But it will not do to depend too much upon farm¬ 
ers’ organizations. The farmer must look well to his prac¬ 
tice, must learn to use the best methods, and keep up with 
the times in his daily work. Suppose the farmers’ or¬ 
ganizations should bring it about that butter should be 
five cents a pound more next year, who would gain the 
most—the man who makes 150 pounds or the man who 
makes 250 pounds per cow ? Of course the latter, and so it 
will be in everything. The farmer needs knowledge, needs 
to improve year by year, and to keep learuiug ; and what¬ 
ever comes, the farmer who is the most intelligent and en¬ 
terprising, aud who trusts most fully in God, will succeed 
best. The man whose fields are best manured and tilled 
will receive the greatest benefit from the rain and sunshine. 
Just so will the best farmers receive the most from the 
success of the various farmers’ organizations. 
Make money by saving money. The way is shown 
in our Premium List , which will PAY for a care¬ 
ful reading. Head it and let us hear from you. 
OCT. ii 
The Farmers Club. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address 
of the writer to insure attention. 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.] 
NOTES ON A MARYLAND ORCHARD. 
A. H. H., Rayville, Md. —I am planting 500 apple, 1,500 
peach and 1,100 pear trees, and would like information in 
detail on the following points: 1. How large should the 
holes be dug ? My soil is not more than six inches deep, 
with clay subsoil. 2. How deep do the roots of apples, 
pears and peaches extend, and would it be better to dig out 
the subsoil and replace with good soil ? 3. I set 500 apple 
trees last spring in holes just large enough to take in the 
roots without crowding with two inches of soil under- 
neith; they have made an average growth of about 12 
inches. Would it be better to raise them next spring, dig 
large holes and replace the clay with good soil ? 4. My 
selection of trees consisted of 250 Baldwin, 50 Ben Davis, 
100 Gravenstein and 100 N. Spy. Have I made a mistake 
in varieties, and if so, how would it do to top graft them 
after being set two years ? Will they come into bearing 
soon ? 5. How should the orchard be cultivated aud fer¬ 
tilized ? I fertilized with bone and planted with corn last 
spring, but the field is badly washed, the soil being all gone 
in some places. The land is hilly and the soil of a light, 
sandy texture, and if I keep it plowed the soil and the fer¬ 
tilizers will all wash off. How will it do to sow Orchard 
Grass, and keep strips three or four feet wide cultivated 
along the rows? Or would mulchiDg these strips with 
stable manure be advisable? 0. In seeding down with 
Orchard Grass is it best to sow in the spring with oa's or 
alone? Can seed be sown with a Cahoon seeder ? Will 
the bone already sown act on the Orchard Grass ? 
Watch Other Orchards. 
It is impossible to “ dig out ” the subsoil. If it is reten¬ 
tive of water to an injurious degree, it should be thor¬ 
oughly uuderdrained with tiles, before attempting to grow 
tree fruits upon it. The experience of others in the vicinity 
on the same sort of soil would be a good guide as to the 
necessity of this. 1, 2 and 3. If the land is all right, the 
holes should be dug only of a size to allow the roots to be 
fully extended, and of a depth to allow the trees to be set 
at the same depth as in the nursery. The roots of all trees 
will go down to permanent moisture if possible. I have 
found them over 20 feet below the surface in a light soil. 
4. The Baldwin would not be a long keeper in Maryland, 
and would probably drop badly. Gravenstein is a good 
selection for early fall in that latitude. Ben Davis is all 
right; but it might be well to set a good number of Dela¬ 
ware Red Winter. Their coming into bearing even would 
depend upon their natural habit and their thrift. All the 
kinds named bear young. 5. The land should be well enriched 
with stable manure, aud top-dressed with the same every 
year. A crop of beaus or peas can be taken off between 
the trees every year until they are well in bearing, and this 
will pay for the manure. Small fruits—currants, goose- 
benies or raspberries—may be grown during the same time 
between the trees in the rows, with profit. Clean culture 
is necessary, and protection from mice, rabbits, and other 
rodents, provided by the use of lath or veneer around the 
trunks. Unless the land is very hilly and uneven the 
ground will not wash much if the weeds are allowed to 
grow after the crop is taken off and the trees are mulched 
with the straw of the beans or peas grown. These fall 
weeds will not do harm, as they will be turned under with 
the plow in spring; but a very hilly place is not good for 
an orchard. T. H. hoskins. 
Let the Trees Alone. 
1. In the retentive clay subsoil described, prepare the en¬ 
tire soil of the plantation as deeply as the holes are to be 
dug for planting. Holes dug deeper beneath the trees 
serve to hold stagnant water to the detriment of their 
health. 2. Unless the subsoil is rock or hard pan, imper¬ 
vious to the roots of trees, these will usually penetrate 
deeply. Roots of trees have not infrequently been found 
at depths of 20 or 30 feet. 3. Better not disturb the trees al¬ 
ready planted ; but rather cultivate to the requ site depth, 
using the subsoiler if needful for the purpose. 4. Compare 
the varieties in your list with those in the most profitable 
orchards in the vicinity, on similar soils, and vary accord¬ 
ingly. The varieties may be readily changed by top-gratt- 
ing, as proposed, and may be expected to fall into bearing 
as soon as if growing upon their own roots. Replies to 
queries 5 and 0 would depend upon local circumstances. 
T. T LYON. 
How Best to Plant. 
1. On such soils the holes should be thrown out with the 
plow, deep enough to allow the trees to be planted four 
inches deeper than they stood in the nursery. This is done 
by plowing in narrow' lands as wide as the proposed rows 
with dead furrow where the trees are to stand. Each fur¬ 
row is to be still farther deepened by a second plowing 
from a point four or five furrows back. Set the tree on 
the top of the bottom of the furrow with side roots in the 
mellow earth, thrown in from the sides and very firmly 
pressed down. After the trees have been set, turn back 
the earth with the plow so as to fill the dead furiow to a 
point on the trees at least four inches deeper than they 
stood in the nursery. Even if the subsoil seems very | oor. 
this loosening of the whole soil in the line of the row will 
be found an immense advantage in the starting aud after¬ 
growth of the trees. 2. To do well permanently the roots 
should extend deeply into the subsoil. Trees standing 
where the tap-roots were first sent down from the seed al¬ 
ways do better than those which have been transplanted. 
Observing this, some of our experienced planters of fruit 
and other trtes now stick one of the longest roots into a 
