738 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 7 
Another u Strawberry Barrel." 
N. R., Syracuse, N. Y.—I have a 
strawberry barrel on trial whose cir¬ 
cumference is 70 inches. The lower 
row of holes, about four inches apart, 
is'two inches above its lower head, or 
four inches above the lower end of the 
staves. Then a like row was placed 
four inches below its top. The remain¬ 
ing space (26 inches) was divided for 
three rows of holes, as equal as the iron 
hoops would permit, and the holes bored 
alternately. I think 1^-inch holes the 
most desirable size, so that one can con¬ 
veniently push the tops (after remov¬ 
ing a portion of the leaves) through in¬ 
stead of the roots, thus leaving more or 
less earth upon the plants. I intend to 
arrange another barrel in the spring, 
and purpose to place the plants still 
closer together. This plan of growing 
strawberries is well worthy of a trial. 
I desire an ornamental success rather 
than a large yield of fruit. 
Those Second-Crop Strawberries. 
A. W. R., Wolcottville, Ind. —In the 
spring of 1893, 1 took a very poor piece of 
ground, which was noted for never rais¬ 
ing a crop of anything, hoping by manur¬ 
ing heavily with barnyard manure, and 
thorough cultivation, to raise a crop of 
onions. Of course, the onions were a 
failure. The next spring, I coated it 
heavily with manure, and also applied 
400 pounds of commercial fertilizer (Lake 
Erie fish guano), and set the three- 
fourths acre to strawberries. I culti¬ 
vated them thoroughly, and they went 
into the winter without a gap in the 
rows, or a weed to be seen. I then 
mulched them with straw, and in the 
spring they came out looking fine. We 
picked, that year, 2.250 quarts, which I 
thought fairly good when we consider 
the late frost in May, which froze all 
the first blossoms. The crop was con¬ 
tracted to one dealer at 10 cents per 
quart. 
After fruiting, the vines were mowed, 
and after drying a few days and forking 
the mulch over loosely, tire was set for 
the purpose of destroying disease and 
insects; the whole paten was burned 
black and bare. The next day, 1 har¬ 
rowed very thoroughly with a spike- 
tooth harrow, and cultivated between 
the rows. I then applied 100 bushels of 
ashes, and continued cultivation during 
the fall, which was very dry. There 
was only an occasional second-crop berry, 
though the plants made a fine growth. 
This year, we picked 3,000 quarts from 
this patch. The treatment, after pick¬ 
ing, was practically the same as last 
year, with the exception of the fertil¬ 
izers. The season was extremely wet 
while the plants were making the new 
growth, and I think that this is the mam 
cause of the second crop berries. I don’t 
think that it would pay to work for 
second-crop berries, though we would 
have market for them at a good price. 
I have one patch of one acre, set last 
year, which I am carrying over ; this 
patch had very few second berries. I 
also have one acre set last spring, and 
hope that prices will be larger than this 
year. 
The McIntosh Apple Under Comparison. 
H. E. Van Deman, Virginia. —The 
opinion which I gave some weeks ago, 
as to the quality of the McIntosh apple, 
has given rise to considerable discussion, 
and it may be that I am wrong in think¬ 
ing it inferior in this regard. Perhaps 
it might be proper for me to explain 
my understanding of what constitutes 
good quality in an apple. As “ tastes 
differ,” as E. C. B. says, on page 691, 
what may please one, might not another. 
Some like sweet apples and other fruits, 
and others prefer those which are tart, 
or even sour. But for an apple to be 
really good, in my estimation, it must 
be rich, aromatic, spicy, free from astrin- 
gency, juicy, and fine grained, that is, 
not coarse in texture. Such an apple is 
heavy in weight, and will make good 
cider. As examples, 1 will name Grimes 
Golden, Esopus, Swaar, Winesap, Fall 
Pippin, Gravenstein, Jefferis and Mother. 
There are others which I think of high 
quality, but are of lighter weight and 
more delicate flesh, such as Primate, 
Jonathan and Yellow Bellflower. Many 
would call Red Astrachan, Fameuse and 
Smith of very good quality, and so they 
are for cooking when sugar is added; 
but they are what I call “thin,” although 
the natural flavor is very pleasant. 
Some apples have an astringent taste 
—a sort of final “ twang ” that makes 
one want a drink of water to get rid of 
it, like Baldwin and Pennock. An apple 
to be at its best, should be ripe, and if, 
when it gets so, it is often full of brown 
specks, or dry and mealy, I want to look 
for something better. McIntosh, which 
is “de innocent cause ob all dis trouble,’” 
is rather pleasant in flavor, but it is not 
rich, or even tolerably so. Perhaps, the 
specimens I have examined were not 
characteristic, but I called their general 
character poor. I am sorry and sur¬ 
prised to notice that J. S. W. says that 
it is not productive, for, at Dr. Hoskins’s 
place in northern Vermont, and else¬ 
where, I have seen the trees loaded. All 
that I am striving for in praising one 
variety and decrying another, is to get 
the best fruits in the hands of our peo¬ 
ple, because they deserve them. 
The Vineless Yam. 
Alva Agee, Ohio. —I grow a few acres 
of Jersey sweet potatoes every year, and 
this season I was beguiled into trying 
the Vineless yam. One experiment often 
proves nothing, and the queer behavior 
of these plants, probably, should argue 
nothing against their worth ; but up to 
date—and it is past the date for respect¬ 
able sweet potatoes to be out—these 
yams have wholly lost sight of their 
object in life. They grew more top than 
was justifiable in a strictly vineless 
plant, and since that time, they have 
done nothing but hold their own. As 
they, like most things in their begin¬ 
ning, had little to start upon, “holding 
their own ” has little in it worthy of re¬ 
mark. They have made little elfort to¬ 
ward provision for reproduction another 
year, and the variety promises to become 
extinct unless others’ success is greater 
than mine with these plants. I am told 
that this is a valuable variety, but, at 
least another year’s experiment is 
needed before there is evidence that it 
dotes on my soil and culture. Jerseys 
do nicely, though there was overmuch 
vine growth this wet season. 
Alcohol for Regulating Incubators. 
J. W. M., Quincy, 111.—Warmth is the 
first essential to successful incubation, 
and its proper application and regula¬ 
tion in the egg chamber is an item of 
the utmost importance. No incubator 
will hatch well if the temperature be 
not kept at a uniform degree, and manu¬ 
facturers, as well as those using the in¬ 
cubators, have found this to be a matter 
of great importance. Three-fourths of 
the incubators that are sold go to farm¬ 
ers and persons who are engaged in 
some business that will not permit of 
their spending much time with hatchers 
and brooders; it, therefore, devolves 
upon the regulator to guard the lives of 
several hundred chicks, and protect them 
from extremes of heat and cold. It is, 
therefore, necessary that only such ma¬ 
terial be used in its construction, as will 
be affected by the slightest variation in 
temperature, and operate with the 
greatest degree of accuracy at all times. 
In a recent R. N.-\ r ., there was printed 
an article headed, “ A Good Incubator. 
How to Choose and Buy It. What Is It 
For ? ” by H. E. Moss, referring to in¬ 
cubator regulators, which is calculated 
to prejudice the minds of those using in¬ 
cubators against any regulators that 
operate by the expansion and contrac¬ 
tion of alcohol or mercury. I have been 
interested in artificial incubation for 14 
years, and personally know that Mr. 
Moss started in the poultry business not 
over 18 months ago. I think that when 
he has been in the business as long as I, 
he will learn a little bit more about it. 
There are several reliable firms of high 
standing, that manufacture No. 1 good 
machines, that are giving excellent sat¬ 
isfaction throughout the entire country, 
that are using this style of regulator. I 
can say, from personal observation, that 
they possess features of merit that are 
not contained in any thermostatic regu¬ 
lator that has come under my notice. 
I have tried every device of regulation 
on the market at the present time, and 
there is nothing that works as accurately 
and controls the temperature during all 
kinds of weather, as the one where 
mercury and alcohol are used. The 
very fact that mercury and alcohol are 
more susceptible to heat and cold than 
metal or rubber,-is sufficient evidence 
that, if properly applied, the tempera¬ 
ture in the egg chamber can be held to 
any degree with greater precision than 
would be possible with either the rub¬ 
ber or metal bars. One great advantage 
is that the degree of heat in the egg 
chamber is registered in the capillary 
tube on the outside of the machine ; 
this is important especially at the 
latter stage of the hatch, when the 
young chickens are sprawling about 
over the egg chamber, constantly dis¬ 
placing the thermometer so that it be¬ 
comes necessary to open the door of the 
hatcher in order to determine the de¬ 
gree of temperature, which, at this 
critical period, is liable to have a fatal 
result. Another feature that is worthy 
of mention, is the fact that no amount 
of crowding of the chicks against the 
bulb containing the alcohol and quick¬ 
silver will effect it, which cannot be 
said of a regulator that depends upon 
the delicate adjustment of a thermo¬ 
static bar, to open and close the damper. 
Song Birds and Sentiment. 
J. A. W., Amesbury, Mass —I agree 
with B. T. W., when he says that the 
protection of song birds is a matter of 
sentiment only. You say that robins 
eat a great variety of worms. Perhaps 
they do, but they do not eat enough of 
them to benefit the farmer any. There 
are always enough worms and insects 
to destroy a crop, after the birds have 
(Continued on next pace). 
In writing: to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
REID’S Fruit 
Specialties. 
Save one=half 
by buying di- 
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quarters. All the best and 
leading varieties, newand 
old. Fruit Trees, Small 
Fruits, Roses,Vines,Orna¬ 
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Baskets. Handsome illus¬ 
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them all. Mailed 
free. Write for it 
REID’S 
NURSERIES,] 
Bridgeport, 
Ohio. 
LORENTZ 
PEACH. 
TIMBRELL 
STRAWBERRY. 
ELDORADO, 
BLACKBERRY. . 
)QQQOG©QOGQ©Q9QQ<^5H 
Summer and Autumn Catalogue 
Of POT-GROWN and layer STRAW¬ 
BERRY PLANTS. 
FRUIT TREKS, Plants. Vines, etc., 
mailed free on application. 
T. J. DWYER I Nurseries, Cornwall, N.Y. 
CUT THIS OUT 
and return it to rue with $1, and 1 will send yov 
by njail post-paid, 
12 Glen Mary 
12 < lyde 
12 Enormous 
12 Wm Beit 
Pend order at once, this may not appear again. 
Plants seat, at once or any time you may direct 
before April 6. Address 
W. F. Allen, Jr., - Salisbury, Md. 
All olrl and new varieties Extra <jnalit.y. Warranted 
true. Ist’r.M' rmr-t. Descriptive Catalogue Free. 
T. S. HUBBARD CO., FRKDON1A, N. X. 
fiLOUDON RASPBERRIES ...50c.) 
(J MILLER KASPHinmiKS.’.5c. | By Mail, all 
6 ERIE BLACKBERRlES.50c. V for 
<> NORTH STAR Cl RitANTS... 5UC Sl.OO. 
3 PRES. WILDER CURRANIS .7„c. J 
T. O. KEVITT, - - ATHENIA, N. J. 
TREES AND PLANTS. 
Full assortment. Special prices on PKA''TT TREES, 
Large stock CALIFORNIA PRIVET. NORWAY and 
SILVER MAPLE. 
is. P. BROOKS, Lakewood, N. J. 
Peach Trees 
—FULL ASSORTMENT. Apply to 
U. S. JOHNSTON, Stockley, Del. 
Dutch 
Bulbs 
and Seeds for 
Fall Planting. 
Easter 
Lily Bulbs —Chinese ► 
_ . , . i r-> 11 . Write us for ► 
Sacred Lily Bulbs. prices. ► 
JOHNSON & STOKES, Philadelphia. [ 
Take 
CRIMSON CLOVER 
Care of your physical health. Build up your 
system, tone your stomach, enrich your blood, 
prevent colds, pneumonia and fevers by taking 
Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla 
The Best —in fact the One True Blood Purifier. 
We are headquarters for Itecleaned Seed, 
10c. perlb. to $3.50 per bush.; $5.50 per 100 
lbs. Sow 15 lbs. to an acre. Circulars free. 
HENRY A DREER (Inc), Seedsmer 
No. 714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa 
DDiiicfty pi nifCD~ TbelarKesthandler 
UnlffldUn uLUVl.lt of American-grown 
Crimson Clover Seed in the United States, Is JOSEPH 
E. HOLLAND, Grower and Jobber, Milford, Del. 
Also, Cow Peas, Winter Oats. Timothy Seed, etc. 
Hood’s Pills 
ai-ethe only pills to take 
with Hood’s Sarsaparilla. 
AGENTS WANTED 
To canvass for the celebrated Geneva Nurseries 
Established 1840. Liberal Terms. 
W. & T. SMITH, Geneva, N. Y. 
Southern Peach Orchard and 
Vineyard for Sale. 
8,000 PEACH TREES. 8,000 GRAPE VINES. 
For particulars address 
H. A. PENNOCK, Box 490, Goldsboro, N. C. 
CAR-LOAD 
a !oaaT' Rogers’ Fresh-Bug Dansville Trees 
are now going to RURAL READERS. BRIGHT, WELL- 
ROOTED, THRIFTY Trees, that will make many a man 
smile when he sees them, for it’s a pleasure to handle and plant our Fresh-Dug Dansville Trees. 
There are more left for you, and we’re ready for your order. Prompt shipment, safe arrival, and 
successful fall planting guaranteed. ROGERS NURSERIES, DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
TRIUMPH 
The only Yellow Freestone PEACH 
Ripening with Amsden. 
The Latest and Largest 
Yellow Freestone PEACH, 
EMPEROR 
MERCER{ 
The only Sure-Bearing, 
Non-RottingCHERRY. 
For full descriptions send for Catalogue (lOo.) We will send our Beautifully Ulus. Catalogue with 
the Col’d Plate* of the 3 Wonderful New Fruits, and 1 Emperor Peach June Bud by 
mail, postpaid, for 10c* JOS.II. BLACK,SOM A CO., Village Nurseries, Uightaton^JLJt 
