1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
6i3 
A BATCH OF FRUIT QUESTIONS. 
ANSWERS BY H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Why Persimmon Trees Do Not Bear. 
6. R. B., Los Gatos, Cal .—When we came into possession of our 
fruit ranch, seven years ago, there was, in the garden, a Japanese 
persimmon tree that must then have been four or five years old. 
Three years ago, it bore 11 fine, large persimmons, but has never 
borne any before or since. Some years, I have pruned it, and 
some I have left it unpruned as an experiment I have never 
seen a blossom on the tree. Can you account for its behavior, 
and suggest a remedy ? 
There are material differences in the productiveness 
of the varieties of the Japanese persimmon. If G. R. 
B. has Reachiya or some other kind that is a shy 
bearer, it should not be expected to produce much 
fruit; but this tree seems remarkably shy, and it may 
be an inferior seedling. The varieties of the Japan¬ 
ese, as well as those of our native persimmon, vary 
greatly in the perfection and imperfection of their 
flowers, which are always of an inoonspicuous green 
color. It may be that G. It. B. has not looked closely 
for the flowers, and that they are present, but imper¬ 
fect. All species of the persimmon are very peculiar 
in their inflorescence, as they sometimes have their 
male and female organs in the same flowers and some¬ 
times in different flowers. In some cases, our wild 
persimmon trees have the two kinds, both the perfect 
and the imperfect, on the same tree, and in others, 
they are on different trees, making the species appear 
to be dioecious instead of semi-dioecious. Ever since 
childhood, I have seen, here and there, a tree that 
always bore male flowers and no fruit, and others 
that always bore fruit. In the Japanese species, 
Diospyros kaki, there are somewhat similar varieties, 
although I have never seen or heard of a tree which 
was always absolutely barren, as is the case with 
some of our native trees. There have been many 
seedlings grown in America of the Japanese, or, more 
properly speaking, the Asiatic species, for it is also 
found in Corea and China, whence I have imported 
seeds and cuttings of named varieties, as well as from 
Japan. In the latter country, it is the leading fruit, 
and in this country, there is an increasing interest 
in it among growers and fruit dealers, and we should 
know more than at present of the peculiarities and 
value of the varieties. Although I have closely stud¬ 
ied this subject for many years, I am at a loss to give 
better advice to G. R. B., or any one else who has 
barren Kaki trees, than to get scions from productive 
trees and graft them into theirs. Cut scions early and 
keep them retarded by cold storage in the sawdust of 
an ice house or similar place until the trees have 
started their growth, and use the tongue, splice or 
saddle method of grafting. If scions of Tane Nashi, 
Yedo Ichi or Zengi can be had, there will be little 
danger of unfruitfulness. In my official reports as 
Pomologist of the United States Department of Agri¬ 
culture, from 1886 to 1892, may be seen this subject 
quite fully treated, and the best varieties described 
and illustrated. They are found in the annual reports 
of that Department. 
Yellow Transparent and Other Apples. 
No Name, Mass.— 1. What is the value of the Yellow Transpar¬ 
ent apple as a market fruit ? 2. Have Sutton Beauty and McIn¬ 
tosh Red been sufficiently tested to compare them with Baldwin 
for market purposes in Massachusetts? 
1 . Yellow Transparent is an exceedingly early and 
heavy bearer, and, although of light color and rather 
poor flavor, its earliness, fair size and good cooking 
qualities, render it quite profitable. Its principal 
faults are, liability of the tree to blight, and to over¬ 
bear and die early, or become stunted and bear small 
specimens. It is well suited to plant as “ a filler ” 
between other apple trees, that it may bear soon and 
get out of the way before the others need the space ; 
that is, provided that early apples of light color are 
profitable to grow where the planting is done. 
2. Sutton has been tested in Massachusetts enough to 
assure us that it will compare quite well with Bald¬ 
win. It is handsomely red striped and of better 
quality than Baldwin. It also bears well. McIntosh 
is dark red and bears well, but the quality is very 
poor. It is fit to grow only where its hardiness 
makes it desirable. 
Sunscald of Apple Trees. 
S., Stella, 0 .—Wbat is the matter with my apple trees? They 
have been planted -five years, and the most of them have made a 
good growth. The ground has been cultivated with potatoes, 
wheat and clover in a rotation. The first I notice wrong with 
them is a small patch of dead bark on the trunk, which enlarges 
until it encircles the tree and it dies. Some are affected just 
above the gi’ound, some half way up the trunk, and some just be¬ 
low the first branches. Is there any remedy ? Would it be safe 
to plant another tree where one has died ? 
In all probability, the trouble is sunscald, as it is 
commonly called. If so, the affection which S. men¬ 
tions, nearly always begins on the south side of the 
trunk, although he does not say so. The cause of this 
is supposed to be that the sun in winter during warm 
spells sometimes excites the circulation of the sap in 
places in an uncommon degree, and severe cold spells 
that follow, kill or injure the tender cambium layer. 
During very hot weather in summer, the direct rays 
of the sun often scald the south side of the tree, which 
has a similar effect. In either case, there is no 
remedy or cure other than to protect the injured part 
by painting or waxing over the bare wood to retard 
decay. The course of safety lies in protecting the 
healthy trunks with a covering of lath woven between 
wires (see full description on pages 268 and 269 of 
Annual Report United States Department of Agricul¬ 
ture for 1892), or by a thin wood veneer such as berry 
boxes are made of. The latter may be cheaply 
secured where factories are handy. A board box, or 
simply a narrow board tacked with two nails to the 
south side of the trunk, will do quite well. Stiff 
straw or reeds tied at top and bottom are good. I 
have tried all these methods successfully on the 
Kansas prairies. 
COW PEAS AT THE NORTH. 
Will Not Replace Clover. 
My experiment with cow peas was not very satis¬ 
factory. 1 sowed them on fairly good, sandy loam 
soil, that would grow 150 to 200 bushels of potatoes 
in a favorable season. They were sown broadcast 
June 18, quite a heavy growth of rye having been 
turned under a few days previous. They came up 
quickly, but did not make much growth, and were 
overtopped by a weed locally known as Barn or 
Pigeon grass. The season has been favorable—warm 
with plenty of moisture. Some that I planted in the 
garden have made a good growth of vine, and now 
have pods six inches long. I conclude, that on my 
farm they should be sown in drills and cultivated. I 
may experiment more next season. They were sown 
with the intention of plowing under next spring for 
potatoes. From this year’s trial, I think that they 
can’t take the place of clover for that purpose. 
Clover requires a longer time to grow, but less labor 
and expense. h. f. s. 
Ceres, N. Y. 
Their Behavior on Long Island. 
I sowed, about May 10, one bushel per acre of Black 
cow peas, plowing them in lightly, after first working 
the ground with a spading harrow. I then sowed one 
bushel of oats per acre, and harrowed them in. I in¬ 
tended to plow in the crop, but was unable to do so 
at the proper time, and I cut the oats for grain. I 
used no manure of any kind, and the oats will yield 
only 30 or 35 bushels per acre. The cow peas, how¬ 
ever, attained a height of only about a foot. They 
certainly were a failure in the oats. A small plot of 
Hebron potatoes failed to germinate, and in the early 
part of July I planted it over with the peas, in 
rows three feet apart. I put them in with a hand 
planter, about 16 inches apart in the rows. Now, the 
peas just about cover the ground, and stand 20 inches 
high ; many runners are four or five feet long. At the 
same time I planted them in the potatoes, I planted 
some on one end of my com where it was missing. 
The corn is in drills 3>£ feet apart, two feet in the 
drill. The peas have done nearly as well in the corn 
as in the potatoes. I intend to turn them under. I 
think that, with the same chance, they will make 
nearly the same growth that our ordinary pole beans 
will. I don’t think that I have any use for them on 
my farm. ' e. e. raynor. 
Long Island. 
Failed With Oats in Connecticut. 
I got five of my friends to sow cow peas, as we all 
wanted something to take the place of the Canada 
pea to sow with oats for a forage crop. We sowed at 
different times from April 15 to June 1, when I sowed 
about two acres, two bushels of oats and one bushel 
Black cow peas per acre ; this was on a dry knoll in 
good heart for any crop. The oats made a heavy 
growth except on the very top of the knoll which was 
very dry ; the peas grew strong and looked well, but 
made a growth of only 15 to 18 inches with quite a 
large leaf and looked rank. Down on the sides where 
there was more moisture, they did not come up, ex¬ 
cept those which were very near the surface ; those 
two to three inches deep rotted. It is evident that 
they are a plant for hot, dry weather, and not suited 
to this latitude, at least, for this year, as we have had 
frequent rains and the cold weather in June checked 
the growth of corn and beans. They would not make 
enough growth for a crop to plow under. This is a 
milk country, and everything which is raised is fed to 
cows. I put this crop into feed in August, but did not 
need it to cut green as I put up about 200 tons of good 
corn ensilage last fall. 
The other parties all had about the [same results 
with the peas, which were all sown with oats. I do 
not think that any will try them another year, 
although I intend to try them alone to see what they 
will do. I think the oats were sown too thick for any 
kind of pea to do well with them. The crop was left 
on till the oats were ripe, and all were run through 
the thrashing machine. The straw will be fed to 
cattle the coming winter, as cattle should have some 
dry fodder every day in connection with ensilage. 
Waterbury, Conn. o. b. p. 
PLANT TREES AND SHRUBS IN SEPTEMBER. 
Every one accustomed to garden work, knows what 
little time there is in spring to set trees and shrubs. 
Even though garden work do not press closely, the 
nurseryman is often unable to ship stock at the proper 
time. If it were but known how entirely successful 
early fall planting is, many a farmer would be enjoy¬ 
ing beautiful trees and shrubs who now has none. It 
would be a levelation to many to visit some large 
nursery in the fall and see the great lot of stock being 
transplanted. The old plan was to wait till the leaves 
fell before planting, but it is now well understood 
that it is better not to wait so long. Just as soon as 
the wood is well ripened, the functions of the foliage 
are, practically, over, and the leaves may be stripped 
from the trees with no harm whatever. 
In these parts, towards the end of August and 
through September, is an excellent time for the plant¬ 
ing of nearly all evergreens, and a month later, for 
deciduous trees. It has often occurred that I have 
had to remove trees in September, and, sometimes, 
these trees have been disturbed again a month or so 
later ; invariably, I found that quantities of roots had 
formed in that time. The explanation is a simple 
one. The soil has been made very warm by the sum¬ 
mer heat. It is often warmer than the air. This con¬ 
dition of things brings out fibrous roots at once, and 
the transplanted tree is safe. The leaves are cut off, 
of course, but as the growth is over and wood ripened, 
it makes no difference. If a few stems of leaves are 
left on the twigs, they will drop off clear in a few 
days if touched, which proclaims the success of the 
work. If they do not drop off, but wither up on the 
stem, the tree is not going to live. But I am sure 
that few cases of the latter kind will occur. Let 
those who wish to set fruit or ornamental trees, 
proceed with the work without hesitation when 
September is on the wane, resting assured that they 
will have more success than at any other time. What 
a tree needs to assist it in forming new roots is heat 
and moisture in the soil. The heat nature places 
there, but not always the moisture. As a matter of 
fact, I prefer that the soil be rather dry, as it enables 
me to ram it in firmly about the roots. After cutting 
off the foliage, the tree is set in its hole and the earth 
filled in and rammed in tightly about the roots until 
the hole is three-fourths filled. Then empty two or 
three buckets of water in the hole, filling in the re¬ 
mainder of the soil some hours later, without ram¬ 
ming it, and the work is done. .Joseph meehan. 
Pennsylvania. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
T. W. Wood & Sons, of Richmond, Va., issue a catalogue of a 
large line of seeds. It is a good house from which to order cow 
peas, Crimson clover, or any seeds wanted from the South. 
You can’t afford to assort potatoes, apples and onions by hand 
when a sorter will do the work at the rate of 100 bushels per 
hour. It is claimed that the Pease sorter will do the work at this 
rate. Write F. B. Pease, Rochester, N. Y., for circular and full 
particulars. 
Some time ago, we cautioned R. N.-Y. readers that the Disbrow 
Mfg. Co., Rochester, N. Y., receive remittances for berry baskets, 
and never send the baskets or give the remitter any satisfaction 
whatever. Some new subscribers have had a recent experience 
of the same kind. The caution is consequently repeated. 
Many who live in towns and villages would enjoy the advantages 
of a wind mill and tank, if they had the room. These should use the 
outfit manufactured by the Perkins Windmill Co., of Mishawaka, 
Ind. The whole outfit occupies a small space, like a corner of 
the lawn. The position of the tank is such as to be entirely out of 
the way, yet in a position to supply all needed pressure for water¬ 
ing lawns, gardens, etc., and affords good fire protection. With one 
of these tanks on a 60-foot tower, the farmer may pipe his house, 
equip it with a bath, and convey either hot or cold water to any 
part with perfect safety and at small cost. The entire outfit is 
composed of steel, and is practically indestructible. The firm 
will be glad to submit full description or estimates. 
To overcome the effect of the dirt in milk and to kill the germs 
that caused sickness and disease, it was first proposed to steril¬ 
ize or boil it. But it was soon found that this made the milk less 
digestible. Now a few of the thinking farmers avoid the dirt and 
the germs, and there is nothing to kill by sterilizing and boiling. 
The R. N.-Y. has told of the care taken by Mr. Francisco and Mr. 
Cottrell in putting up milk. One of the best, if, indeed, not the 
best bottles, for this use, is that made by the Thatcher Mfg. Co., 
Potsdam, N. Y. This bottle has no metal about it of any kind, 
nothing but plain glass to clean, nothing to rust or twist out of 
shape. When the bottle is filled, a small disk of pasteboard is 
pressed into the groove in the neck of the bottle, and keeps the 
milk air-tight. 
Mr. F. B. Fitch, has charge of Chatham Field, an establishment 
of 160 acres within the city limits of Chicago, where hundreds of 
city horses are sent to recuperate and board after the hard usage 
of city streets. A representative of the Breeder’s Gazette visited 
the establishment some time ago, and asked Mr. Fitch what he 
used to reduce swellings and cure lameness. Th e Gazette quotes 
this reply: “ For more than 15 years, I have used almost exclus¬ 
ively Gombault’s Caustic balsam. It is great stuff. With it I 
have removed splints, curbs, wiudpuffs and the like, speedily and 
surely, and cured sprains and soreness. It can be used as a mild 
liniment or a blister, and I consider it the best blister I ever used. 
You may be sure that we have plenty of use for such a remedy on 
the horses that come here for temporary keeping, and it is the 
only thing of the sort that I have constantly on hand. My long 
experience with it justifies me in relying upon it to do the work.” 
