1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Only One “King" Apple. 
M. M., Englewood, N. J.—G. F. T., 
page 817, asks “ How many King apples 
are there ? ” I will say that there is but 
one “King” apple that deserves the king¬ 
ly name, at least, and that is the Tomp¬ 
kins County King. My father, J. M. 
Mattison, being the disseminator of that 
apple, a short history of that valuable 
fruit may be interesting. During my 
last visit to Tompkins County, N. Y., the 
original tree was still alive, over 75 years 
old. It was planted by Cyrus H. Howe, 
of Jacksonville. The first known tree, 
however (supposed to be a seedling), was 
found growing in Hunterdon County, 
N. J. The tree was very old at the time 
and nearly dead. An old nurseryman 
by the name of Jacobs, secured a few of 
the grafts, and they were grafted in the 
orchard at Jacksonville. All the grafts 
died except one. The next spring, Mr. 
Jacobs returned to Hunterdon County 
to secure more grafts, but the old tree 
was entirely dead. From this only re¬ 
maining tree in Tompkins County, scions 
were secured and grafted throughout 
Tompkins and Cayuga Counties. A few 
years later, 1848 to 1855, my father then 
in the nursery business, began to grow 
trees of it extensively, and called Charles 
Downing’s attention to it. While he did 
not give it the credit it deserved, it was 
nevertheless brought to the attention of 
the fruit-growing public. During the 
fiftys and sixtys, my father sent thou¬ 
sands of scions to the nurseries through¬ 
out the United States, sending one year 
over 100,000, in those days considered a 
large amount, at one cent each. Among 
the horticulturists of those days, who 
pinned their faith to it, were J. J. 
Thomas, Marshall P. Wilder, Col. Frost, 
and how true has proved their estimate, 
will be seen by going into the markets 
of our big cities, and trying to find an 
apple in November or December that 
looks better and eats better. 
Legislate Against the English Sparrow. 
C C. S., Passaic, N. J.—The English 
sparrow is of no earthly use. The habits 
of the birds are to make nests in any 
part of the dwellings they can reach, and 
leave their filth to be cleaned up. They 
attack our garden in the spring, and de¬ 
stroy the best of our fruit in large 
quantities, leaving the worms and in¬ 
sects untouched. Would it not be a 
good plan for the legislature to pass a 
law giving a royalty for the capture of 
the birds ? Such a plan would soon re¬ 
move them from us. By using your in¬ 
fluence, this could soon be brought 
about. Let the bail start rolling, and 
keep it up. 
R. N.-Y.—In theory, such legislation 
is good, but in practice, it does not seem 
to work so well. We hope’ to give soon 
the experience of farmers in other States 
where such legislation has been at¬ 
tempted. 
More Colorado Second-Crop Strawberries. 
N. L. L., Fruita, Col. —So much has 
been written about second-crop straw¬ 
berries that I feel like telling my ex¬ 
perience with strawberries in the lower 
Grand Valley, between the town of 
Grand Junction and the Utah line, alti¬ 
tude 4,500 feet. We have here, every 
year, more or less second-crop berries, 
but in the season of 1895, we had them 
in sufficient quantities for marketing ; 
nearly every grower here marketed 
some. I picked and marketed 12 crates 
of good berries between September 1 
and November 15. Owing to the pressure 
of other work, 1 picked them only once 
a week ; had the picking been attended 
to regularly, I would have had twice as 
many. When the frost came, there were 
still many green berries and blossoms 
on the vines. 
The largest part of my berries are 
Wilsons, and they bore only a few ber¬ 
ries. I have also the Jessie, Enhance 
and Parker Earle, but they are almost 
worthless with me. I have about one- 
half acre of Capt. Jack and Warfield 
No. 2, alternated, and there I got the 
berries. Now for the reason for such 
an unusual yield of second-crop berries. 
During the picking season of the main 
crop, we had more rainy and cold 
weather than we generally have, so we 
had a very heavy crop of berries, the 
picking lasted six weeks, and the fields 
became very weedy. After the last 
picking, we let the field get very dry so 
we could mow the tops and weeds with 
the mower. After we had raked off the 
mowings, we cut down the rows to the 
proper width with a plow, then har¬ 
rowed and cultivated. By this time, the 
plants were very di'y, and at almost 
perfect rest, and when we turned water 
on again, the plants, probably thought 
that they had passed through a light 
winter, and started right up. 
Every one familiar with orchid grow¬ 
ing knows that to let a plant get dry to 
almost within an inch of its life, is the 
surest way to make it bloom. The grow¬ 
ers around here are not anxious for 
second-crop berries ; they come at a time 
when we are busy with peaches and early 
apples, and, generally, the berries are 
so scattered that it is a tedious job to 
pick them. Every fruit has its season, 
and only a limited quantity can be sold 
at any other time at a profit. The 
Maiden’s Blush and Oldenburg apples 
and the Bartlett pear always produce a 
second crop of fruit in this climate. I 
have now in the cellar about a bushel of 
second-crop Idaho pears, the size of Win¬ 
ter Nelis. 
hold always to live up to strictly, that 
whatever goes to your market shall b 
good, and that all weights and measures 
shall be correct. 
Then, on the other hand, look out foi 
people who buy things and never pat 
for them. Do a cash business. Don’t 
spend time bothering with over-particu¬ 
lar possible customers. You will fine 
that it takes time to go from house to 
house and peddle or deliver produce 
and one must learn to economize his 
time. You see that, while the home 
market idea is a grand one for hundreds 
of farmers and their families, it is neces¬ 
sary to count the cost before any one 
goes into it. It is not a path that is all 
roses, but is one that leads to good 
profits for those who rightly enter 
upon it. 
Early Lambs Again. 
L. A. Clinton, Tompkins County,. N 
Y.—I see that Mr. W. W. Latta takes 
exception to a former article of mine on 
early lamb raising, in that I did not 
state the express and commission 
charges. The express is such an indi¬ 
vidual matter, depending upon location, 
that every lamb raiser can figure out for 
himself the cost of placing his products 
on the market. The cost of shipping 
lambs from this point, Ithaca, N. Y., 
to New York City, is 80 cents per 100 
pounds. The fees charged by the com 
mission merchant are five per cent on 
the selling price. To make the items 
more complete in my former article, 
page 750: 
December 21—two lambs at $9.$18.00 
December 21—one lamb at $6. 6.00 | 
$24.00 I 
Express.$0.70 
Commission fees. 1.20 
That Home Market; What Are You Going to 
Do About It ? 
J. W. Newton, Vermont. —Y r ou are 
fretting and scolding about having to 
send your stuff off to the city ; have you 
looked sharp after the home market ? 
Just as like as not, there are a dozen 
families within easy driving distance of 
you who would be very glad to pay you 
a good, big price for strictly fresh eggs 
delivered every three or four days. 
Couldn’t do that ? Why not ? Of course, 
you could not put in eggs from nests 
found in corners and of uncertain ages. 
You could not gather up eggs, and dump 
them into a pan, let them lie a week or 
two in hot weather, and then deliver 
them as fresh eggs. If people pay for 
fresh eggs, they want them delivered 
within three or four days after they 
are laid, and before they lose their deli¬ 
cate flavor. The strictly fresh egg is 
really a luxury, and your customers may 
not be able to pay you the city price for 
such stock. But if you will take pains 
to deliver really and truly fresh eggs in 
stated quantities and at stated times, 
you will be pretty sure to get a paying 
price. 
Then, as soon as people want them, 
arrange with the same or other families 
to deliver your chickens, so many on 
such days. Then you can ask, and most 
likely get, the best prices, provided you 
have fine chickens, and get them into 
such shape for your customers as they 
like. It is no use to expect to sell poor 
stock, or poorly-dressed stock for a good 
price. You may do it once or twice, but 
it will simply spoil your trade. Whatever 
you sell, let it be of the best quality, 
unless you sell it for poor quality at a 
low price. But it is not best, usually, 
to sell poor things. It will hurt your 
reputation. If you have anything below 
standard (and a high standard, too) put 
it to some other use than selling to pri¬ 
vate customers. You want to build up 
a reputation for always selling the best,, 
or, if that is too high, we will say, a 
good quality of produce. When people 
find out that anything bought of you is 
good, all right, No. 1, first-class, or of 
the best grade, it will be a great help to 
you in selling, and will be worth very 
many dollars to you. That is what you 
are farming for, to get money to use. 
Make it a fixed rule for all your house- 
$1.90 $1.90 
Net.$22.10 
February 28—four lambs at $7.$28.00 I 
February 28—one lamb at $6.50. 6.50 | 
Express. 
Fees. 
.$1.20 
. 1.73 
$34.50 
$2.93 2.93 
Net.$31.57 | 
I would not convey the impression 
that all could succeed in the raising of 
hothouse lambs. If this were so, then 
the feature of profit would disappear en¬ 
tirely. It is only the one who has the 
requisite skill, the comfortable quarters 
in which to house his sheep, the shipping 
facilities; in other words, the conditions 
must be just right in order that success 
may be assured. I would not recommend 
the purchasing of high-priced purebred 
stock. Grade Dorsets and purebred Dor¬ 
set males give, ordinarily, just as good 
results. From experience. I still main¬ 
tain the statement made in the former 
article that “ early lamb raising is a pay¬ 
ing business to him who has the neces¬ 
sary knowledge and skill.” 
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Strange that a man will insure his buildings 
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Interest on that is the cost for absolute safety. 
Write for proofs. 
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KITSELMAN BROS., 
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FREE 
The Winter Course in Agriculture 
AT DELAWARE COLLEGE , 
will open January 6, 1897, and continue to the last 
Friday in March. The course has been improved 
and enlarged for the coming winter. Tuition free. 
Full descriptive circular will be sent upon ap¬ 
plication to Prop. W. H. BISHOP, Newark, Del. 
A LOOK THROUGH 
SOUTH MISSOURI 
The Kansas City. Fort Scott & Memphis R K. Co. 
has Issued a magnificent book of Si) or more photo- 
eng aved views of varied scenery in South Missouri. 
Fiom these views an accurate knowledge can be ob¬ 
tained as to the productions and general tonography 
or that, hlkthlv favored section that is NOW aT- 
TRAOTNG THE ATTEN riON OF HOMES r EKKltS 
AND INVEST ’Its THE COUNTRY OVER The 
title of the b .ok is ■ Snap Shots in South Missouri.” 
It will be mailed free. duress 
J. E. LOCKWOOD, Kansas City, Mo. 
DON’T READ THIS! 
Unless you want to read our ilttie book ’‘l 1 ARMING 
IN A BUSINESS LIGHT." or - HOW To INCREASE 
THE FARM INCOME.” Postpaid for Oo. si ver .to 
all, who write before January 1. Our Catalogue of 
Business and F»rm Hooks, beside 
J K. WHITNEY & CO.. Broadalbin N. Y. 
Rogers’ Farm Account BookJ° "ZtrZll 
Editor Mvrick. of The Homestead, 
from North Andover. Mass. 
Price, 50 cents, 
This Is The Light That Never Failed. 
* IT IS A 
Dietz Lantern 
that for seventeen years, through storm and darkness, lighted the 
way of B. W. Burnham, a retail milkman of Saratoga Springs, 
N’. Y., on his nightly rounds without a single expense of repair 
during that time, except for new globes, being in constant use. 
Mr. Burnham brought it to the New York ofilce, whore it is now 
on exhibition and received a new one for his pains. It is a sample 
of the superior material and make of the Dietz Lanterns. 
Ask your dealer for them R £. DIETZ COMPANY, 
and accept no other. Write 
for free pocket catalogue. 60 Laight Street, New York. 
Established 1840. 
ALL THE 
we have been nrging Asthma and Hay Fever SuiYerers to begin the 
constitutional treatment that brings not only relief, hut a ( ure that stays. 
Hundreds have done so, and here’s a letter from one of them : 
Dear Doctor Hayes- Brewster, N. Y., September 14,1896. 
I am satisfied your treatment has been very helpful and beyond my expectations. The catarrhal 
sviniitoms have been much lighter and not of as long duration, and as for Asthma, the effect of 
the medicines is marvelous. To go to bed and sleep all night is for me, at this season of the 
year, something I have not been able to do for 30 years. Now I sleep all night, and in the morning 
X am free front the cough that is so weakening and depressing. When I compare myself with 
others about here who have Hay Fever, and are not taking your treatment, I am away ahead of 
t hem Perhaps I am too enthusiastic, but when one has had this terrible disease lor over 30 years a. 
I have, and had given up all hope of a cure, how can one help being enthused. 1 have one regret - 
havimr known of vour treatment so long that I should be so incredulous as not to be willing to[ try it 
having known of your treatment so long i 
till this year. Y° urs trul >’> 
ASTHMA HUE 
write at once for particulars and escape your winter of distress. Hay Fever sufferers make 
of this and write in the soring, or now. Two thousand other references if you ask 
BENJ. D. EVERETT. 
FEIiERS 
