4o8 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 20, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
please see whether it is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few 
questions at one time. Put questions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
Grafts of Seedless Persimmons. 
F. L. NBamford, Pa .—Where can I get 
seedless persimmon grafts? 
Ans. —J. L. Normand, Marksville, La., 
one of the old subscribers of The R. 
N.-Y., has a variety of seedless persim¬ 
mon, and may be able to furnish scions 
of it, if not too late in the season. All 
the native seedless varieties of this fruit 
that I have seen are quite small, and they 
may not be hardy in Pennsylvania. 
H. E. V. V. 
Preparing Muck Pasture for Onions. 
G. Jj. N., Elba, N. Y .—What treatment 
would a muck pasture need in order to raise 
onions? 
Ans.— Usually muck lands are sour, 
and while in that condition will not pro¬ 
duce good paying crops, unless some ef¬ 
fort is made to correct the acidity. Prob¬ 
ably the most economical way to produce 
results in the above case would be to plow 
the pasture and plant to corn, using a lib¬ 
eral quantity of wood ashes or some form 
of potash and lime. The corn should be 
taken off early enough so that the land 
can be plowed in the Fall. A liberal 
dressing of coarse stable manure plowed 
under, and not harrowed will leave the 
soil in fine condition for onions. The fol¬ 
lowing Spring the coarse manure will 
keep the ground loose during the Win¬ 
ter and will help the wind to dry.up the 
surplus moisture. A liberal amount of a 
good commercial fertilizer, say 1,000 
pounds per acre, sown broadcast on :he 
rough ground and thoroughly harrowed in 
will usually be sufficient to produce a 
good crop of onions if given the proper 
care and conditions are favorable. 
JOHN JEANNIN, JR. 
Flower Growing in South Dakota. 
J. It. C.. Deadwood, 8. I). I am thinking 
of growing some carnations In greenhouse the 
coming Winter, and would be pleased to have 
you tell me how to start in. I am also 
Interested In hyacinths, Easter lilies and vio¬ 
lets, and would appreciate any Information 
you can give me. 
Ans. —The best preparation for anyone 
who desires to go into carnation or other 
flower growing, is to be had in the form 
of practical experience in the greenhouses 
of some good grower, but there would be 
but little time for such experience in the 
few months before next Winter, certainly 
not enough to be of much practical value. 
A second method of acquiring informa¬ 
tion on the subject would be by careful 
study of the most modern literature rela¬ 
tive to flower growing, and then to visit 
the best available grower from time to 
time in order to sec how to apply the 
information. The subjects referred to 
have been discussed in The R. N.-Y. 
Among the most practical books for this 
purpose, arc The American Carnation, by 
C. W. Ward; Commercial Violet Culture, 
by B. T. Galloway, and The Florists’ 
Manual, by Wm. Scott. Much useful in¬ 
formation may-also be had by subscrib¬ 
ing to two or three of the best fioricul- 
tural journals, but after all .practical ex¬ 
perience is the great stand-by. 
w. h. taplin. 
A igleworm Queries. 
J. .If. G., Havana, III .—(’an tishworms or 
angleworms be kept any length of time, and 
in what way? Can they be propagated and 
kept? There Is great demand for bait In 
the fishing season. Is ground infested with 
grubworms liable to have them continue from 
year to year? They damaged my crop badly 
last year. 
Ans. —Yes, I think earthworms can be 
kept for a long time by putting them into 
a box of good, rich, moist soil. I doubt 
if it is practicable to propagate earth¬ 
worms. T do not know how long it takes 
them to develop from the eggs which 
are laid in the ground. In most localities 
one could get any quantity of earth¬ 
worms by going out early in the morning 
after or during a warm shower, when 
hundreds of them can be found crawling 
on the surface of the ground. They could 
be collected and kept in a box of soil, 
probably for a long time. I am not sure 
just what is meant by “grub-worms.” 
This name is sometimes applied to white 
grubs and sometimes to cutworms. If 
the crop grown on the infested ground 
was thoroughly cultivated last year, there 
should be but few of the worms left. 
Nothing discourages underground-work¬ 
ing insects so much as thorough culti¬ 
vation. I should not hesitate to put an¬ 
other crop which requires thorough culti¬ 
vation on the same ground. 
m. v. slingerland. 
Muck Land in Florida. 
F. Y. Went Apopka, Fla. —We are work¬ 
ing a muck bed (timber muck) for vegetables, 
with more or less failure and success. The 
land is well drained but too cold. Would it 
be to any advantage to haul sand on there 
to a depth that would hold up a team? At 
present we can put no horse on the land 
without wooden shoos. Last, year I had 
two acres in tomatoes. I shipped 905 crates; 
the returns were $885, with the cost of one 
ton of commercial fertilizer to be deducted. 
Irish potatoes will average 15 to 20 to one; 
beans from 150 to 250 baskets to the acre. 
Celery we had good success with several 
years ago, from 500-to TOO crates; the last 
few years we were not able to raise plants. 
'Phis year I am planting 4 Vi acres in toma 
toes, with 20 loads of rotten stable manure 
and 2Vi tons of commercial fertilizer. The 
stable manure I am using in hills and drills, 
(tur muck land is spotted. I want to find 
out if T could Improve it by the use of the 
manure, so the first blooms of the tomatoes 
would hold their fruit better. There is no 
telling how many crates we would ship If 
they would hold their first fruits. At the 
end of shipping season (when the northern 
markets forbid any further shipments, about 
June 15) we left over one-half the fruit In 
tlif field. 
Ans. —Never having examined the 
muck lands of the Apopka region, al¬ 
though I have been there, I am not sure 
that they are of the same character as 
those that I have examined in other parts 
of Florida, but I think they are practi¬ 
cally the same. On the lower east coast 
of Florida I have repeatedly seen and 
carefully examined into the growing of 
tomatoes and other vegetables, and it is 
probable that the knowledge obtained 
would enable one to meet the require¬ 
ments of the present case. In plowing 
such land, especially that which is very 
spongy or boggy, it is necessary to have 
bog shoes fastened to the feet of horses 
that do the work. They may of steel or 
wood, the latter being the best and the 
most costly—about $8 per set. Tt is not 
every horse that is suitable for such use, 
for he must be light and yet strong, and 
be easy to learn the way to handle his 
feet with the clumsy shoes on them. A 
pony that has been raised on the marshes 
is usually the best. The land that I have 
seen the best crops of tomatoes on. was 
without sand or grit of any kind, and al¬ 
though I have not scei\ it tried it is my 
belief that the addition of sand to it 
would make it very much better. 
Whether or not it would pay for the 
labor of hauling and then wheeling on 
boards and spreading sand over it is 
doubtful. It ought to be tried, and possi¬ 
bly it has been tried already. If so, we 
ought to have the experience put on rec¬ 
ord. Lime would almost surely be a 
benefit to it, if put*on in a very fresh and 
caustic state. Rich as this land might 
seem to be to those unacquainted with its 
real character, it is absolutely necessary 
to apply fertilizers, and those of mixed 
character are the kinds to use. Potash 
and phosphoric acid are especially needed, 
for these muck lands are very deficient in 
them both. Stable manure also has a 
very marked effect, for muck lands do 
not contain the soil bacteria that they 
should have, and stable manure furnishes 
this needful agent. It also contains true 
plant food, as do the commercial fer¬ 
tilizers. The proper balancing of the 
plant foods can only be told by trial, but 
I have no doubt of the ability of liberal 
proportions of potash and phosphoric 
acid helping materially in the setting and 
retention of the tomatoes on the plants. 
H. e. v. D. 
A LITTLE 
A WEEK 
nPHE secret of successful 
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Especially when they are 
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This bank has hundreds of 
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Department **H” Booklet tells 
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The Union 
Savings Bank 
Capital, $1,000,000.00 
I-'rlck Building, FMTTSBURfiM, PA. 
The 
YearRountf 
SPLIT HICKORY BUGGIES 
•land the tent. Good made— alwayrf fcood. Thial 
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A III) KPL1T HICKORY SPECIAL $51 
Got something good.* 
25% more valuo attho 
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^(H.C.Phelpi. Proa.) 
in 11 on 290 /TT 
LlncInnat^/NAy 
obi. [J- h, —_, 
ELECTRIC 
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will (flvo you a new wagon and a 
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Made to fit any wagon, adapted 
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and labor of horse and man. Write at once for our 
catalogue. It’s free for the asking. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., 
BOX_88_ Quincy, Illinois. 
P ALM ET'J’() and Barr'sMammoth Asparagus Roots, 
Rhubarb Roots, Sweet Potatoes, Plants in Season. 
All varieties. C. M. HARRISON. Vineland, N. J. 
' When you write advertisers mention Tub 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal." See guarantee, page 8. 
PureWhiteIead 
Wood and weather have 
not changed their nature re¬ 
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Largest makers of While Lead in the world 
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National Lead At Oil Co., Pittsburg 
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27 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE 
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CALDWELL 
TANK ANDTOWER 
W15 BUILD. 
Our Tank* an* tight mul durnhle. 
Our Tower* will nUnd In any ntorrn. 
Get our reference* In your nertlon, Also 
our llliutrAM catalogue and price Hat. 
W. K. CALDWELL CO. 
Loulnvllta, Ky. 
Coed Potatoes—" Early Surprise, Maim* s oarliost 
Potato; marketed in six weeks, $1.11) large; 00c. 
smaller per bush. M. A. Fogg, Route 2, Skowhcgan.Me 
ALrALrA 5U1L Alfalfa, three years old, $1 per 
hundred pounds; 10 per cent discount on 600 pounds 
or over. R. I). BUTTON, < unnstola, New York. 
Potted Strawberry Plants 
List Free. T. C. KEVITT, Athenia, New Jersey. 
STRAWBthRY PLANTS Beauty, Senator 
Dunlap and r«0 other varieties. Send for price list to 
1). KOI)WAY, Hartly, Delaware. 
YOUNG STRAW'BERRY FI,ANTS at $1.50 per 
M.—Nick Dinner, Woiverton, Saunders, Brandywine, 
Haverland, Seaford, Enormous, Wm. Belt, Marshall, 
Excelsior. Now York, Rough Rider, Senator Dun¬ 
lap. Fresh dug, well packed, (100 Wealthy, 1100 York 
I mperial, 300 Rome Beauty, 2 yr. f* to 7 ft. Grand stock. 
Low price. Arthur .1. Collins, Moorestown, N. J. 
PIlirrT nnnu Choice Stowell’s Evergreen 
Off El I llUnH Seed, high vitality, 2 bushel 
ling, $3; 5 bags, $12.50. O, W. CLARK & SON, 
Seedsmen, Buffalo, New York. 
rnn CM C—trimson clover seed. $550 
rUn dALEL bushel; row Pens, $1.75 bushel; 
2nd growth Seed Potatoes, $3.00 to $3.60 barrel; Onion 
Sets, $3.00 bushel JOSEPH K HOLLAND, 
Milford. Delaware. 
Vegetable Plants. 
ASPA RAGUS, Palmetto and Conovers, - 1000, $5 
SWEET POTATO, Yellow and Red.lersoy.lOOO, $1.50 
CELERY, White Plume and other, - - 1000, $1 
*’ transplanted, iOflO, $2.50 
GARBAGE, All Varieties. 1000, $1.25 
“ " “ transplanted, 1000, $2 
TOMATO, All Varieties, 1000, $1, $2, $5 and $10 af¬ 
fording to size of plants. Special prices oil 10,000 and 
100,000 lots. Price list mailed free, covering all kinds 
of Vegetable and Flower Plants. Cash with order. 
LUDVIG MOSBAr.K. Oiuirgn, Illinois. 
FINE QUALITY SEED. 
All Recleaned and Tested. Speciai. Prices to Far¬ 
mers and Market Gardeners. 
Timothy, Red Clover, Alfalfa, White and Alsike 
Clover, Rodtop. Kentucky Blue-Grass, German Mil¬ 
let, Spring Rye, Barley Seed, Cow Peas, Soja Beans. 
Oats; Learning, Pride of the North. Mastodon, Cu¬ 
ban Giant and all kinds of Flint and Sweet Corn; all 
varieties of Garden Peas; Mangel Beet; Essex Rape, 
Onion Seed. tJT"Implements for Farm, Garden and 
Lawn. Catalogue free. ('HAS. F. SAFI., 220 224 
James Street, Syracuse, New York, 
FRUIT TREES 
A full list of all kinds. Small Fruits. Strawberry 
Plants a Specialty. Ornamental Stock. California 
Privet and Fancy Stock. We will send a fully illus¬ 
trated Catalogue Free. Address all communications 
JOS. EL BLACK, SON A 00., Sights town. N. J. 
SEED POTATOES 
A fine lot of EARLY NORTHERS grown on 
virgin soil. $1 tier bushel: $2.50 per barrel while they 
last. T. DRISCOLL, Kauneonga.Sull. Co., N. Y. 
nnTATACC Vermont Gold Coin and 
I U I A I UEw Irish Cobblers, $3 per 4 Im. 
bids.; White Mammoth and Carman No. 3, $2 per 4 
im. bbls. GEO. A. BONNKLL, Waterloo, New York. 
DHTATnCC grown especially for SEED. 15 
fU I A I UEO varieties, price right, list free. 
GKO. H. COLVIN, Crest Farm, Dalton, Pa. 
shows in NATURAL COLORS and 
accurately describes 216 varieties of 
fruit HotuI for our lihnrfl.1 forms of riistri- 
TREES 
SHRUBS 
ROSES 
The largest and most com¬ 
plete collections in America, 
including all desirable nov¬ 
elties. Illustrated descrip¬ 
tive catalogue free. Gold 
Medal — Paris, l'un-American, 
st. Louis. 102 prizes New York 
State Fair, 11)04, 
ELLWANGER & BARRY 
Mount Hope Numerles t 
Drawer Mill l, Roche«ter$ N.Y. 
nstablished 18W- 
The Niagara 
Fruit Ladder. 
A ladder made from the best 
selected white basswood with 
a tie rod at every other step, 
making a strong, light, durable 
ladder that always stands and 
never rocks on uneven ground. 
Write for prices and descriptive 
matter on our full lino of bass¬ 
wood ladders, boxes, crates, 
baskets, etc. 
Bacon & Co., 
Appleton, New York. 
CRIMSON CLOVER 
price of seed on reqnost. 
The groat soli improver. Valu¬ 
able also for early green food, 
grazing and hay crop. Special 
circular free, also sample and 
IIENKY A, DREER, 714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Penna. 
$5 PER 100, FREIGHT PAID 
Poplar 
Pear, Plum, Cherry, Poach and Carolina 
oplurs, healthy, true to name and f unit gated. 
All kiudsof trees ami plants at low wholesale prices. Koinomherwe heat all other reliable 
Nurseries in quality and price. Catalogue free. Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N.Y. 
TREES 
FRUIT TREES 
Plants, vines, and ornamentals are grown in 
large numbers at Hoyt’s 500 Acre Nursery. 
Wo have on hand THE FINEST STOCK 
EVER GKOYVN IN NEW ENGLAND. If you need anything in the Nursery line writo us. Catalogue free 
STEPHEN HOYT'S SONS CO., New Canaan, Conn . 
