1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
i65 
HOW TO PRUNE KIEFFER PEARS. 
IIow high from the ground should I head Kieffer pear 
trees, and how trim them after they are set in orchard? 
Should they lie cut back at all after they have started to 
grow? I find in cutting them back the limbs when cut send 
out two to four branches, which are very switchy, and cause 
the head of tlie tree to be too thick. When should Kieffer 
pears he picked in northern part of Virginia. m. M. o. 
Oranda, Va. 
I would prefer a two-year-old Kieffer pear tree to 
any other size. Three feet from the ground is plenty 
high enough to start the head; cut all branches back 
to six or eight inches when planting; leave the center 
branch to grow as a leader, but cut it well back. Each 
year cut back the former year’s growth from one- 
half to two-thirds, according to the rankness of the 
growth. In pruning back the limbs, be sure to cut 
so as to leave the last bud on outside of the branch, and 
thus throw the new growth outward and spread the 
SPRAY BARREL ON STONE BOAT. Fig. 73. 
See page 162. 
tree. Keep the tree conical in shape, like a pineapple, 
and well thinned out to allow circulation of air. This 
system of pruning will defer the bearing somewhat, 
but nothing is lost by this; for as the tree becomes 
more matured and the vitality greater, the limbs will 
be stocky, and strong enough to hold up the fruit; and 
the fruit will be better in size and quality. I believe 
this style of pruning will also produce a much larger 
amount of fruit with red cheeks, which is so attractive 
to the Kieffer pear. Do not prune off the spurs and 
short twigs which grow on the main limbs near the 
trunk, as these will produce the first fruit. After the 
trees begin to bear they will not make such a rampant 
growth, and will not need quite so sharp pruning back 
as in early growth of the tree. 
I cannot give the proper time to pick the fruit when 
grown in Virginia. It must be remembered that the 
Kieffer pear grows rapidly late in the Fall; but when 
they get large enough, and occasionally one can be 
found turning a little yellow, it is about time to gather 
them. Some prefer to pick over them two or more 
times; this is probably the proper thing to do when 
plenty of help can be obtained, but is rather too much 
work when a large crop has to be harvested. In con¬ 
clusion I would advise thinning the fruit if the best 
results are wished for, when trees set a heavy crop; 
this means a good deal of work, but will pay well if 
properly done. _w. h. skillman. 
SOME SAN JOSE SCALE NOTES. 
Several orchards in western New York were treated 
under my direction, or by me personally, during the 
Spring of 1904. The formula calling for 20 pounds 
stone lime, 17 pounds sulphur, 10 pounds salt, was 
used, as recommended by the New York State Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, and in every instance the appli¬ 
cation was successful in reducing the number of living 
scale to such a small amount that it was almost im¬ 
possible to find live scale during the Summer season. 
When peach trees were treated with this wash and 
the work well done, it was found to be as effective a 
remedy for curl-leaf as Bordeaux Mixture, and also 
very slightly effective against pear and apple scab, but 
was a very good remedy for bud-moth and the case¬ 
bearing insects. No case has been observed by me in 
western New York, in which an old commercial apple 
orchard, badly infested with San Jose scale, has been 
successfully treated. I believe that the first cost of 
treating trees of that kind will range from 40 cents 
to $1 per tree. A better lime-sulplnir-salt mixture can 
be made with steam than kettle boiling, but it can be 
successfully and cheaply made in concentrated form 
in large kettles and diluted with cold water. Previ¬ 
ously it has been recommended to dilute only with 
hot water, but we can find no difference in the ulti¬ 
mate results between cold and hot water dilution, and 
the same results have been attained by the experiment 
stations of this and other States. We know of no bet¬ 
ter remedy than the lime-sulphur-salt wash, and all 
the smaller growing fruit trees can be successfully 
treated with it. 
The old apple orchards are a tough proposition, and 
it is quite possible that they cannot be economically 
treated in a commercial way. I believe that it is only 
a question of time before this pest will be general 
throughout the tree-fruit growing regions of the United 
States, and that the old orchards in many instances 
will go down before it, and also believe that the com¬ 
mercial apple orchards of the future will be low-headed, 
pruned and trained to a dwarfish habit, so that they 
may be easily treated for this and similar pests. Spray¬ 
ing with lime-sulphur-salt is but little more disagree¬ 
able than applying Bordeaux Mixture, and after one 
gets used to making it the operation goes along very 
smoothly. We should always emphasize these two 
points regarding this wash. It must be well boiled, 
also carefully and thorou-ghly applied. Many failures 
can be attributed to carelessness regarding one or the 
other of these two essentials. 1 believe that F. S. 
Hall, Niagara County, page 53, would have attained 
results equal to or better than the crude oil if he had 
used a straight boiled wash, for on the whole they have 
been more satisfactory than the caustic soda as chemi¬ 
cally boiled washes. 
1 have not found whale-oil soap very effective unless 
applied at the strength of V/ 2 to two pounds per gallon 
of water, and then much bud injury may result. One 
pound to gallon with two applications in the Spring 
■}i:. 
A YOUNG FARMER AT WORK. Fig. 74. 
before the buds open might be effective, but is too 
costly for commercial work. 
I would not apply any of the oil sprays in Fall, but 
know of two large pear orchards that have been suc¬ 
cessfully treated the past three seasons with crude oil 
20 per cent applied with mechanical mixing pumps, 
application made just before the buds burst or show 
green. In both cases the scale has been held in 
check, so that there has been practically no scale spot¬ 
ting of the fruit, and the trees look as healthy to-day 
as when treatment commenced. I am inclined to dis¬ 
courage the large cluster of nozzles and many leads 
of hose. sometimes recommended for this work. I know 
that with such an outfit the mixture is pumped out 
rapidly, and space must be covered so fast that the 
work is not done as carefully as it ought, and results 
are unsatisfactory. Two nozzles under high pressure 
are plenty for one lead of hose, and if spraying 
small trees I should want but one. If a dozen rules 
should be laid down for fighting this pest, 10 of them 
should be thoroughness in applying the insecticide. 
B. D. VAN BUREN. 
Columbia Co., Feb. 20, 190!i. 
“I have been planting trees as you know 
for many years. It may be a satisfaction 
to you to know that I have received from 
no one (and I have been very particular) 
better trees' than you have always sent 
me.” EDW’D VAN ALSTYNE. 
Addison Co., Vt., Feb. 13, 1905. 
“ Myself and neighbors have been plant¬ 
ing your trees for years, using several 
thousand. The stock has always arrived 
in excellent condition and was of tine ap¬ 
pearance. So far as I know, every tree has 
proven true to name.” J. McL. STEVENS. 
Kennebec Co., Mo., 
February 14, 1905. 
" About twenty years ago I began buying trees 
from you and nave bought more or less nearly 
every year since. You have never disappointed 
me in variety.” 
T. G. JENNINGS. 
Orleans Cc., N. Y., Feb. 11, 1905. 
“ The thousand Quinces bought of you 
are growing beautifully. All your stock 
has proven satisfactory. 
H. L. BROWN. 
Dutchess Co., N. Y„ Feb. 10, 1905. 
‘‘ Whatever you wish to say about the 
thirty-five (35) acre apple orchard you 
sold me will be true. Thrifty, promising 
and every tree true to name. 
WM. Ii. HART 
It is with justifiable pride that we introduce (by permission) a FEW faces of the 
many COMMERCIAL PLANTERS whom we deal with. Our pamphlet on transplanting 
directions will show you SEVERAL SCORES located in different States. Send for it. 
Proof Positive, as to the Value of our Trees and the Truthfulness of Varieties 
From New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maine and Mieliigan comes the same approval 
from large commercial orcliardists of the value of our trees. We could fill this page with similar 
endorsements from these and other States. 
Is the above any GUARANTEE of SECURITY to you? Does it signify anything? 
It is an easy matter for anyone in the business to give endorsements covering recent shipments. These 
indorsements cover a period of years of ACTUAL FRUITING. This is the only TRUE TEST. 
Will be glad to give the full address of any of these planters, with hundreds of others on application. 
Our Free Catalog will give you some values in apple, pear, plum, and ornamental trees, grape 
vines and small fruits that it will be difficult to duplicate, QUALITY CONSIDERED. 
SOME VALUES 
PEACH TREES, $25, $40, $60, per 1,000. Learn about our two new varieties, HUDSON and DR. CUM¬ 
MINGS, two of the most valuable early October varieties. These are certainly money makers. 
HEAVY APPLES, two and three years old, 6 to 7 feet, at ASTONISHINGLY LOW PRICES. 
JAPAN PLUMS, splendid, young, well rooted trees, $3.00 per 100. Read what one of our customers 
says about the light grade of plums sent him 
“ The 100 one year light plums, bought of you in April ’99, have grown from 24 to 30 inches during the 
past dry summer, and in one more season they will be larger than the strong two year trees planted in 
spring of ’98. No more heavy trees for me.” JOHN JEANNIN, Rens. Co., N. Y. 
A large stock of these varieties of Plums in Heavy Grades also. 
(retour WHOLESALE SURPLUS LIST. Currants, Raspberries, Blackberries anil New 
ig- 
deliver you, 
BLACKBERRY—MERSEREAU, decidedly the most PROFITABLE VARIETY ever offered In 
quality and productiveness it cannot be equalled. See Cornell Bulletin No. 99, also Bulletins issued by 
Geneva, N. Y., Experimental Station. 
I he amount of Nl'ItSUK\ STOCK ^seeking an^ outlet this Spring is very great on account of the 
<‘f this 
SATIS¬ 
FACTION. 
COMMERCIAL PLANTERS 
The above endorsements would indicate that we cater to the Commercial Planter. We do supply a 
great many large Planters but we beg to assure you that we pack and ship a great many small orders. Your 
order for a dozen trees will be as carefully handled as though it were for a thousand. Send us your order 
whether small or large. Many of our larger buyers now, are those who first began ordering in a small way. 
FUMIGATION 
VARIETIES 
Abundance, Burbank, Satsuma, Red June, Wickson, Sultan, Climax, and October 
Purple. 
Please note that the above include the New Varieties, all described in catalog. 
/-\ 5lr° r 'k carefully and scientifically fumigated with hydrocyanic acid gas, unless otherwise instructed. 
Our Mit.W ii.ky was one of the three men who first voluntarily began the fumigation of nursery stock for 
Orcliardists. No commercial Planter of intelligence to-day will plant trees unless they have been fumigated. 
When writing for catalog, if you will ask tor them, a 12-page treatise on Peach Culture and a pamphlet 
on the destruction of insect pests, together with spray formulas will be sent with catalog. They will not be 
included unless asked for. 
Onondaga, Co. N. Y., 
Feb. 10, 1905. 
“I continue to order trees 
from you simply because 
those already planted have 
proven just as represented. 
The order of six thousand 
five hundred (0,500) was 
promptly handled. Add the 
following to my previous 
order already booked.” 
GRANT HITOHINGS. 
Niagara Co., N. Y. 
Feb. 18, 1905. 
"I began planting your 
trees twenty years ago. 
Have always received No. 1 
stock and satisfactory in all 
respects, or I should not 
have continued to plant it. 
One chief feature is your 
trees always fruit true to 
label. I now have 20 acres 
apple, 14 of peaches, 15 of 
pears, 8 of plums, and 4 of 
quinces.” 
F. D. GARDNER. 
Sussex Co., N. J., 
Feb. 10, 1905. 
‘‘We have set a good many 
thousands of your peach 
trees. We find them healthy 
and vigorous. In fact the 
best trees we ever planted.” 
DANIEL BAILEY. 
Shiawassee Co., Mich., 
Feb. 9, 1905. 
“The trees, in my twelve 
(12) acre orchard, which you 
sold me are in all respects 
just as represented.” 
C. B. COOK. 
■p Box 122, Cayuga, 3ST. Y, 
