686 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 17 
root of a “ runner” is stuck into the ground. This 
little plant is fed from the parent plant through the 
connecting stem and makes a far more rapid growth 
than it would if it depended upon its own little roots 
alone. In other words it thrives on the plant food 
taken from the soil, and made over into soluble 
forms by the parent plant. 
Now to apply this theory to plants, let us take buck¬ 
wheat as an example. It has been called the goat 
among farm plants, because, during its quick growth 
and comparatively short life, it can feed on the hard¬ 
est and coarsest plant food. Fertilize it with raw 
phosphate rock and leather, and it will make a hearty 
growth, for it has the power to dissolve and assimi¬ 
late more of these tough materials than any other 
cultivated plant except, possibly, the turnip. A large 
buckwheat crop might be grown with the cheap 
ground phosphate rock, and this growth plowed 
under for another crop like wheat or corn. The corn 
might not be able to feed on the phosphoric acid in 
the crude rock, yet after the buckwheat had dissolved 
it and made it over into new forms, the corn could 
utilize it. There might be cases where the acid on a 
buckwheat root would be cheaper than sulphuric acid 
in making these mineral phosphates fit for plant food. 
In order to compare the feeding habits of plants, the 
Maine Station scientists selected clover and peas to 
represent the nitrogen-gatherers, turnips and ruta¬ 
bagas for roots, barley and corn for grain and pota¬ 
toes, and tomatoes as another distinct class. Here 
were four distinct classes of plants, each one with its 
peculiar system of root growth and method of feed¬ 
ing. The plants were grown in little boxes, 14 inches 
square, and 12 inches deep, filled with pure sand. The 
boxes were kept in a forcing house so that the tem¬ 
perature and water could be kept under control. 
There were 90 boxes in all—12 for each kind of plant. 
Three forms of phosphoric acid were used. 1. “ Acid¬ 
ulated Rock ”—that is, ground phosphate rock from 
Florida that had been “cut” or dissolved with sul¬ 
phuric acid, so that the phosphoric acid was soluble 
in water. 2. “ Floats ” or the raw Florida rock simply 
crushed and ground into a fine powder. 3. Crushed 
and ground “ Redonda ” phosphate; this is a rock 
formation containing phosphates of iron and alumina. 
In one box, the acid rock was used, in the next, the 
“floats”, in the next, the Redonda phosphate, while 
the last contained nothing but the sand to serve as a 
measure for the yield. In every box containing phos¬ 
phoric acid, enough nitrate of soda and sulphate and 
muriate of potash were used to make a balanced fer¬ 
tilizer. For each plant, there were three boxes of 
each combination. You will see that this gives a 
chance to compare the feeding habits of these plants 
and their ability to strike out and eat these different 
forms of phosphoric acid. It is like taking four calves 
of just about the same size and weight. To one, you 
feed a certain quantity of new milk. You analyze the 
milk and make up a ration of skim-milk and oil meal 
containing the same amounts of muscle-makers, fat- 
formers and pure fat which you feed to the second. 
To the next, you feed skim-milk, oatmeal and hay 
tea, and to the fourth, skim-milk alone. At the end 
of the month, you would weigh the calves and take 
the skim-milk calf for the standard of comparison— 
with the others weighing a varying number of pounds 
more. 
The pictures on the preceding page show how three 
of these plants looked. In every case, the box at the 
left contains the acid rock or soluble phosphate. The 
next box (No. 2) contains the “ floats ” or insoluble 
rock, thenext(No. 3) the insoluble Redonda phosphate, 
and the box at the right is the pure sand—or skim- 
milk calf. 
Now let us first look at the yield. Here it is all 
figured out, not considering fractions : 
Acid 
Phosphate No 
Roek. 
Floats. 
of iron. 
Phosph; 
Peas. 
. 500 
366 
283 
261 
Clover. 
. 433 
338 
251 
165 
Turnips (whole plant) — 
. 064 
604 
561 
357 
Ruta baga (whole plant). 
. 455 
435 
365 
193 
Barley. 
514 
559 
436 
Corn. 
. 653 
253 
293 
92 
Tomatoes. 
. 405 
275 
236 
107 
Potatoes (whole plant)... 
. 778 
562 
466 
451 
Turnips (edible root). 
. 299 
210 
270 
132 
Ruta bagas (edible root). 
. 187 
141 
107 
49 
Potatoes (tubers). 
. 555 
393 
419 
344 
There is chance for quite a 
little study in 
these f 
ures. You will notice that all the plants were able 
to eat enough of the tough, undissolved phosphates 
to increase their yield over the no-phosphate soil. 
Corn is, evidently, a crop that must have phosphoric 
acid. The tomato and the clover plant also show a 
great increase when this life-giving substance is put 
near them. You will also see a difference in the 
ability of these plants to lire on the “ floats ” or the 
phosphate of iron. Southern cattle feeders make up 
a ration consisting of cotton hulls, cotton-seed meal 
and a little hay. It is a tough, indigestible mass, and 
some steers thrive on it, while others make but a poor 
gain. It is the feeding habit of the steer that makes 
the difference. These tables show that, as regards 
the use of phosphoric acid, different plants certainly 
have different habits of feeding. They are all greatly 
helped by the acid rock, but compare the result of 
using the acid rock with that of using the floats, and 
we have a striking lesson. Clover and turnips did 
nearly as well with the floats as with the acid rock, 
while barley and corn cannot possibly make a fair 
crop unless the phosphoric acid be available. 
There can be no question about the fact that avail¬ 
able phosphoric acid will show a marked effect on all 
crops. It gives clover a dark, rich, green color, and 
tends to develop the tubercles on the roots by means 
of which the nitrogen is taken from the air. We 
want to call attention to one thing, however, and 
that is the difference in the pictures of the young and 
the mature clover. In the young clover, the acid- 
rock box is far ahead of the others, while in the 
mature clover, the “floats” have made almost as good 
a showing as any. It was found that, as the plants 
grew larger, and the roots were better able to hunt 
about for food, they become better able to make 
use of the “ floats”. It was like feeding a little calf 
oatmeal boiled down to a jelly. At two months of 
age, the calf does not need this boiling, but can eat 
the whole oats. It is possible that these experiments 
may teach, among other things, that a small quantity 
of soluble phosphoric acid, and a larger quantity of 
“ floats” will prove a satisfactory dressing of phos¬ 
phoric acid for the clover crop. It would be a very 
interesting thing for some of the Crimson-clover 
farmers of Delaware to try this on a large scale, and 
see whether clover can be induced to change the 
cheap “floats” into the costly “available” phosphoric 
acid. The turnip, evidently, is able to feed well on 
the raw phosphates, and this may give the crop a new 
value for green manure. 
Prof. Jordan, in summarizing the results of this 
experiment, called attention to the fact that, as the 
clover grew larger, its ability to eat the crude “floats” 
increased. He says : 
This observed increase of feeding power as the plants matured, 
so that they fed upon crude ground rock, especially the clover, 
suggests that the crude ground phosphates may be made a cheap 
and useful source of phosphoric acid in grass fields, and on the 
other hand the inability of several species, notably certain of the 
gramineae and solanaceae, to use the water-insoluble phosphates 
freely in the earlier periods of growth, emphasizes the wisdom of 
using chiefly water-soluble phosphoric acid upon hoed crops, 
especially where early maturity is essential. 
I hope that other experimenters will take up this 
matter and tell us more about the feeding habits of 
plants, not alone as concerns phosphoric acid, but 
with reference to potash and nitrogen as well. n. w. c. 
ORCHARD FRUITS FOR FAMILY AND MARKET 
WHAT APPLES, PEARS, CHERRIES AND PLUMS TO PLANT. 
A Valuable List for Cellar or Seller. 
I have 17 acres of clay land which X intend to plant to a family 
and market orchard of apples, pears, cherries and plums. The 
site is elevated and situated on the bank of a creek which runs 
around the west and north sides. I intend to drain the ground 
thoroughly with tile, and plant a row of Norway spruce around 
the whole for a wind and sunbreak. As I own the land on both 
sides of the creek, I think of planting the evergreens on the side 
of the creek opposite the orchard. The ground slopes slightly 
towards the creek, and is about 12 feet higher than most of the 
surrounding ground. I have a good market near home. What 
varieties of apples would you recommend planting? What 
preparation would you give a piece of thinnish clay laud for 
orchard planting? What would be your ideal of a model apple 
orchard ? j. c. 
Paulding County, O. 
ANSWERED BY H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
J. C. seems to be well situated for making fruit 
growing profitable in a business way, besides pro¬ 
viding an abundance for home use. Moreover, he 
has good ideas as to what is necessary to fit the land 
for an orchard, and how to do it. All of his ideas I 
heartily approve. In laying the tile drains, I would 
advise putting a piece of tarred building paper over 
each joint before covering, to prevent the entrance of 
the roots of the trees; for they have been known to 
grow into and fill up drains. As to “ the preparation 
of a thinnish piece of clay land for orchard planting,” 
I would say put on not less than 20 wagon-loads of 
stable manure per acre, as soon as the drains are laid, 
or, before, if they are not laid soon, and plow it 
under. In the spring, when, as I understand, the 
trees are to be planted, and after that is done, scatter 
on the surface about each tree for a distance of two 
to four feet, not less than one quart of a mixture of 
equal parts of muriate or sulphate of potash, and 
dissolved bone. The stable manure will furnish 
humus and nitrogen, and some potash and phosphoric 
acid ; and the others will fill out the proper propor¬ 
tions of the two latter essential manures. Keep up 
and increase the breadth and relative quantity of 
potash and phosphoric acid from year to year, but 
slack on the stable manure, as the trees come to bear¬ 
ing age. Crimson clover may be substituted for the 
stable manure; as it will supply nitrogen and humus 
if plowed under, cheaper than hauling stable manure. 
Giving a suitable list of varieties of “ apples, peaches, 
pears, cherries and plums for family and market,” is 
not an easy matter ; but, having grown to manhood 
in Ohio, and having observed as well as studied Ohio 
fruits, I may presume to do so intelligently. Those 
kinds which are good for family use, may not be 
profitable for market, and vice versa. But there might 
be something like a happy medium. However, in 
planting 17 acres to an orchard for both purposes, I 
advise J. C. to divide the varieties so as to have the 
two classes separate, and to plant them separately ; 
putting those for family use all on one side or corner, 
and that should be next the dwelling for convenience. 
The purposes of the two plantings are so diverse, that 
it is necessary to proportion the varieties very differ¬ 
ently. A family list should have many varieties, and 
but few of a kind, while a market list should have 
but few varieties and many of each. The composi¬ 
tion of the lists thus made separately will not con¬ 
fuse J. C., and may help many others who contem¬ 
plate planting for one or for both purposes. The lists 
will suit a very much wider territory than northern 
Ohio, reasonably well ; and with a few local excep¬ 
tions, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the 
southern borders of the Great Lakes to the northern 
limits of the Gulf States. They will be found placed in 
the order of ripening, and those of the same season are 
grouped together by brackets. There are many good 
varieties not yet fully tested, and others of local value, 
that are left out. 
Family Orchard Lists. 
These are based on certain numbers of trees of each 
species that are about right for most families, but 
they may be reduced by dividing the number of trees 
of each or any variety, or, by dropping some out alto¬ 
gether, as necessity or inclination may dictate. 
APPLES. 
f 2 Summer Rose, 
I 2 Yellow Transparent, 
] 2 Red June, 
12 Early Harvest, 
f 2 Fanny, 
! 2 Primate, 
] 2 Lowell, 
[2 Golden Sweet. 
I 2 Maiden Blush, 
-? 4 Jefferis, 
( 2 Chenango. 
Total, 100. 
PEARS. 
2 Wine, 
2 Mother, 
2 Hubbardstou. 
5 Grimes Golden, 
5 Jonathan, 
5 Domine, 
5 Akin. 
10 Rome Beauty, 
10 Stay man (instead of 
10 Huntsman. [Wlnesap 
10 York Imperial, 
10 Stark. 
On planting a family pear orchard, the question at 
once arises, Shall they be standard or dwarf trees ? 
A good plan is to plant dwarf trees, and set them so 
deeply that they will send out pear roots above 
the quince stock, about the time that they would 
otherwise begin to fail from bearing. They will take 
fresh courage and be about as long-lived as standards. 
J 2 Tyson, 
I 2 Madeleine. 
2 Howell, 
2 Clapp. 
( 2 Flemish Beauty, 
| 4 Bartlett, 
■{ 2 Boussock, 
2 Seckel, 
2 Louise Bonne. 
2 Onondaga, 
4 Sheldon, 
2 Bose, 
j 2 Hovey, 
) 2 Winter Nelis. 
i 4 Lawrence, 
■{ 2 Diel, 
( 2 Easter. 
Total, 40. 
PEACHES 
As peach trees are short-lived, it is well to plant a 
few every two or three years, in order to have some 
part of the orchard, at least, in a thrifty condition. 
j 2 Alexander, 
j 2 Triumph. 
2 Rivers. 
2 St. John. 
2 Mountain Rose. 
4 Elberta. 
Total, 30. 
PL 
2 Reeves. 
4 Oldmixon Free. 
2 Stump. 
2 Walker. 
4 Heath Cling, or, if procur¬ 
able, Ringgold. 
2 Henrietta. 
The selection of plums for northern Ohio, or for any 
other section, is not so easy, because of the varying 
success and failure of the different classes. The 
European class is, in a large measure, restricted to 
the New England States, New York and Michigan. 
East of the Rocky Mountains, and west of them, they 
succeed almost everywhere that fruit is grown. The 
Japanese plums embrace some of the very good kinds, 
and we have very many American varieties, belong¬ 
ing to several native species, that are well worthy of 
culture. Both are generally successful. 
European or 
Bomesticas. 
2 Clyman. 
2 Lombard, 
2 Imperial Gage, 
2 Bradshaw. 
2 Yellow Egg, 
2 McLaughlin. 
2 Damson,any kind 
14 
Japanese. 
2 Red June. 
2 Abundance. 
2 Chase. 
2 Burbank. 
2 Georgeson. 
10 
CHERRIES. 
Native. 
2 Wild Goose. 
2 Newman. 
2 Forest Garden. 
2 Rockford. 
2 Golden Beauty. 
10 
The cherry is much like the plum in regard to its 
variability of success in different parts of the country. 
The varieties may, for convenience, be classified into 
three groups—morellos, dukes and hearts, although 
Prof. L. H. Bailey makes six classes of our cultivated 
cherries. The morellos will succeed over the entire 
area previously mentioned, but the dukes are much 
more sensitive to climatic variations, and the hearts 
are decidedly unreliable throughout a large part of 
the Mississippi Valley, because it is too warm in the 
South and too cold in the North, and much of the rest 
of it is too changeable. In the regions about the 
Great Lakes, and in the Piedmont sections of the 
Appalachian mountain ranges, these two latter types 
do well. On the Pacific coast, especially in Oregon 
