638 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 26 
APPLES IN COLD STORAGE. 
THK QUESTIONS. 
1. When apples are stored in barrels in a good, cool cellar or 
storage room, should the barrels be beaded, or will they keep 
equally well if the barrels are not headed ? 2. Does it make any 
difference about the keeping of fruit, whether the barrels arelaid 
down or stand on end ? 
THE ANSWERS. 
1. If the barrels be headed, the apples will keep 
better, because this prevents evaporation, and makes 
them less subject to changes of temperature. 2. The 
position of the barrels will make no difference ; I 
have tried both ways. H. E. van deman. 
1. I think that apples, stored in a cellar, should be 
headed to keep them away from the light as much as 
possible ; but I have my barrels made a little open 
between the staves around the head, so that air can 
circulate freely. 2. In regard to setting barrels on 
end, I cannot see any difference, if the bottom course 
of barrels be set on strips of boards so that the air 
can circulate under the barrels. We usually lay them 
down and put boards under the barrels near the ends 
of the barrels. t. b. wilson. 
1. My experience is entirely in favor of heading up 
barrels of apples, as stored away in the cellar, and 
thus, as far as possible, excluding the air from them. 
Some varieties are inclined to shrivel more or less, 
and will be found to retain their crisp, fresh condition 
far better when thus handled, while all varieties, in 
my experience, will suffer less shrinkage and be 
found in better condition if thus cared for up to the 
time of their maturity. 2. Barrels should in all cases 
where circumstances will permit, be stored upon the 
side, rather than to stand on end. s. D. willard. 
1. My practice in keeping apples in a cellar, is to 
leave the barrels without heading, for the pressure 
necessary to fit them to send to market, will bruise 
some of the apples. The fruit will also shrink so that 
they will need filling up a little, even though they do 
not require resorting. So I set the lower tier without 
heading, and the second tier on top in place of a 
head, with loose heads laid on the upper tier. 2. It 
makes no difference when headed, whether the bar¬ 
rels are laid down or stand on end, in regard to keep¬ 
ing. The apples should be covered in some way to 
secure an even temperature and to prevent shriveling. 
T. S. GOLD. 
1. My experience in keeping apples is that they will 
keep quite as well in a cool cellar or storage room, if 
the barrels are not headed, provided they are not dis¬ 
turbed. If, however, the doors or windows are left 
open at times, causing sudden changes in the atmos¬ 
phere, then the barrels should be headed up tight, 
so that the apples will not feel the change. The evener 
and lower the temperature can be kept, the better it 
is for the apples, always keeping it above the freezing 
point, however. If apples are to be kept in a warm 
atmosphei'e, or shipped during warm weather, I 
should prefer to slit the barrels to prevent heating, 
in the same way that peaches, pears and vegetables 
are shipped. 2. I can see no advantage in laying the 
barrels down, unless it be for convenience. My opinion 
is that more is to be gained by careful picking and 
handling, than by the shape of the package in which 
they are kept. One rotten apple in a barrel will give 
all the others the influenza, if it has half a chance. 
c. w. SCARFF. 
_ 
TWO STRAWBERRIES FOR KANSAS. 
THE questions. 
A reader in northern Kansas asks the following questions : 
Will you be kind enough to answer them from your own experi¬ 
ence? “ I wish to grow two strawberries. One must be of good 
size, attractive and productive for home use and near market. 
The other must be productive, and sweet enough to eat in the field 
without sugar. What would you plant with them to furnish 
pollen ? ” 
THE ANSWERS. 
Haverland or Marshall, Greenville or Haverland, 
Enhance or Parker Earle. t. t. lyon. 
Michigan. 
For the first berry I would recommend Warfield 
No. 2, fertilized with Beder Wood. For the second 
berry, Parker Earle, a self-fertilizer. Mount Vernon 
or Enhance might be used for a late fertilizer. 
Nebraska. J. w. stevenson. 
So much depends upon the soil and location, slope 
and exposure, that it is hard to give an answer just as 
the person wants it given. On very rich soil, it would 
be best to plant a slow grower, or one that does not 
make too many plants, for a plant-producer will often 
cover the ground so thickly that the berries will be 
small. Of course, this will be obviated if the runners 
be kept down ; but here in the West, we usually 
grow by the matted row system. In answer to the 
questions, therefore, I should say, Bubach and Parker 
Earle. l. A. Goodman. 
Missouri. 
The two strawberries I would unhesitatingly plant 
are Parker Earle and Timbrell. The former will 
pollenize the latter ; they are grand in every respect, 
and sweet enough for any one. Out of 100 varieties, 
these two are my choice. samuel miller. 
Missouri. 
The Warfield has been the standard berry over this 
part of the Northwest. Size, firmness and good ship¬ 
ping qualities, make it a favorite for sending to dis¬ 
tant markets ; but the Crescent is rather more reliable 
as a cropper, and this past season, equally as popular 
for home use and near market. For a berry sweet 
enough to eat in the field without sugar, many people 
like the Princess; but in wet seasons, it is very 
soft and lacking in flavor. I prefer the Timbrell, 
after the short trial I have given it, but the Bubach 
is quite popular here. For pollenizers, the Michel, 
Lovett, Beder Wood and Enhance are used. My 
choice is Beder Wood, where it does not rust too 
badly, and the Enhance. These varieties are not only 
good pollenizers, but the first is productive, and one of 
the best early berries. The Lovett may take the place 
of the Beder Wood, where the latter rusts badly, and 
is less liable to injury from late frosts. 
Minnesota. j. s. Harris. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
Some Fruit Experiments. —I set out an orchard in 
the spring of 1892, mostly of peaches, pears and plums, 
THE SHELBY GRAPE. Fig. 200. See Ruralisms, Page 642. 
about 25 varieties of each, to test their quality and hardi¬ 
ness. I have plowed each year since, in June, applied 300 
to 500 pounds of bone and muriate of potash per acre, 
and planted to potatoes. After the potatoes were off, 
I sowed it to rye and plowed it under the following 
June. I have had good crops of potatoes, and the 
trees have made a good growth, but have borne only 
a very little fruit. On 40 Abundance plum trees, I 
have not, as yet, seen a blossom, and over 50 Crosby 
peach trees have borne only about one-half dozen 
peaches ; not even a blossom appeared on them this 
year, and the wood killed the worst of any in the 
orchard. Only one night during the winter did the 
cold get to 18 degrees below zero. t. m. r. 
Erie, Pa. 
How to Describe the Sex of Strawberries.— 
There is one thing I would like to call to the atten¬ 
tion of the editors of rural papers, and those who 
make up the experiment station reports and nursery 
catalogues ; it is with regard to the description of the 
flowers of the strawberries. The words, pistillate, 
staminate, hermaphrodite, and bisexual and their ab¬ 
breviations, are still used by some of them. While 
these are, in a measure, correct, they are not alto¬ 
gether so. Many varieties that are called pistillate 
are not strictly so, and those which are designated as 
staminate are also as truly pistillate. Hermaphrodite 
is physiologically correct, but it is a clumsy word, and 
not understood by many farmers, and others, too. 
Bisexual is all right in point of fact, but it is also a 
“ big word” to some readers. 
There is an easy way out of the trouble ; it is to 
call them perfect and imperfect. These terms ex¬ 
press the facts exactly, and are in strict accord¬ 
ance with technical botany. The abbreviations, Per. 
and Imp., may be used, if desired. These terms will 
be understood by all reading people, as well as by 
the scientists and experts. They are simple, plain, 
and descriptive. The perfect varieties will be under¬ 
stood as having the ability to pollenize the imperfect 
ones, and the latter will be known as needing the 
other kinds. Already, many of the nurseries and 
experiment stations, and editors are using these 
terms, and it is hoped that others will do so. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Some Fair Notes. —There is much ignorance, or 
downright dishonesty, shown by exhibitors of fruit, 
grain and potatoes in naming varieties, one kind of 
showy apple often appearing under a half dozen 
names. Judging from the exhibit at the Hornells- 
ville Fair, apples and potatoes must be unusually good 
in that locality. A special premium brought out a 
fine lot of Vick’s Early potatoes, and its quality and 
size make it one of the best early potatoes. One ex¬ 
hibit of “ Rural ” potatoes was marked : No. 1, five 
hills for a peck. No. 2, seven hills for a peck. No. 
3, four hills fora peck. I make that 976, 697, 1,220 
bushels per acre. The No. 2 were the smallest. All 
very smooth. That yield ought to satisfy the most 
exacting. The general opinion seemed to be, a “ half 
crop.” The growers say, “ Few tubers in the hill, 
small size, White grubs, rot, and reduced area are 
our reasons for looking for a small yield.” The Spitz- 
enburg apple was shown by a dozen exhibitors ; 
some specimens were very large. What a pity it is 
that this apple of rare quality has not the other 
quality of “ doing well,” so all could have them. Our 
people prefer them canned to peaches, c. e. chapman. 
LATEST ABOUT “ CERTIFIED MILK.” 
We have had, in years past, so much about the 
methods employed at the Fairfield Dairy in produc¬ 
ing “Certified Milk,” that it seems unnecessary to go 
over the process again. On a visit to the dairy last 
week, we found 350 cows in milk. This milk is bottled 
and sold in Newark, Montclair, Orange and other 
places in New Jersey. This is, probably, the largest 
single dairy in the world, and the milk is absolutely 
clean and pure. 
But little effort is now made to breed milking cows. 
A few heifers from the best cows are raised, but most 
of the cattle are bought in Sullivan County, N. Y., 
and shipped by rail to the dairy. As a rule, they are 
big, strong, Jersey grades, usually, with Short-horn 
or Ayrshire blood showing in color or shape. They 
are picked out by an agent, and sent subject to per¬ 
sonal inspection and the tuberculin test. As a rule, 
few, if any, are rejected, because of bad shape or 
poor milking qualities. Possibly, an average of two 
out of a car-load will respond to the tuberculin test 
And they are never so far gone with the disease as to 
be dangerous. Mr. Francisco claims that a first-class 
dairyman should be enough of a student of cows to 
detect the disease by outward appearance before it 
becomes dangerous. The cows most desired are heavy 
milkers with their second calf. Such cows average 
in price about $37.50. When they fail at the pail, 
they are fattened and sold for beef—bringing an aver¬ 
age of $30. This business is, evidently, more profit¬ 
able than it would be to try to raise all the young 
stock required to keep up a herd of 350 milkers. 
For some years, Mr. F. was undecided whether 
to use the silo or not. The matter has now worked 
out to the point where he says that, without the silo, 
it would not be possible to run the business success¬ 
fully. There are three big silos on the place, hold¬ 
ing 1,600 tons of ensilage all told, and they will be 
filled this year from 100 acres of corn—besides a large 
amount of green fodder fed directly to the cows. Mr. 
F. says that he would like to feed ensilage every day 
in the year, and that is what he expects to do. The 
cows have only a mouthful of hay for their daily 
ration—just a few pounds “to keep their teeth in 
order.” 
One of the most remarkable results of the introduc¬ 
tion of the silo is the effect it has nad upon the hay 
mow. A few years ago, many big dairy barns were 
built and great pains were taken to secure ample 
room in the mows for hay. In some cases, the ex¬ 
pense of building was greatly increased in order to 
provide for this hay storage. Since then, these dairy¬ 
men have learned more about the value of ensilage, 
and have put in large silos. The result is that the 
mows are nearly empty and quite useless, unless hay 
is to be raised for sale. The l,0G0~ton silo may be 
