536 
July 15, 
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.! 
Alfalfa for Inoculating. 
A. 11., Thompson, Conn .—We have some 
bunches of Alfalfa lliat came up below the 
henyard three years ago that look line; we 
cut three times. A strip that was seeded was 
not a success except in spots where it was 
rich soil. 
Ans. —Pull up one of those Alfalfa 
“bunches” and see if you can find the 
little warts or nodules on the roots. If 
you can the soil around those plants will 
be good to inoculate a larger field. When 
you seed again dig the soil around these 
vigorous plants and scatter it over the 
field to be seeded. It may mean a good 
“catch.” 
Turnips as Fertilizer. 
J. IE. If., Lony Island. —I)o you think tur¬ 
nips are of any value as a fertilizer if grown 
and left standing in the ground all Winter, or 
plowed under in ihe Fall? 
Ans. —Cow-horn turnips are useful as 
a catch crop. We like to sow the seed 
with Crimson clover, at the last cultiva¬ 
tion of the corn. The turnips usually die 
during the Winter. Now and then one 
lives over and goes to seed. The turnip 
does not add fertility to the soil as clover 
and cow peas do but it helps in other 
ways. A good deal of vegetable matter 
is added, and the Cow-horn turnip with 
its long tap root opens the soil and loosens 
the sub-soil to some extent. We expect 
a crop of turnips to improve the character 
of the soil more than its actual quality. 
The danger from one of these catch crops 
will come in a dry season, when there is 
hardly enough moisture for the corn crop 
alone. The turnips in such a season will 
rob the corn, and neither will make a good 
crop. 
Remedy for Apple Borers. 
T. G. E., New York, N. Y .—I want some 
efficient remedy for Apple borers. This pest 
has begun havoc upon my young apple 
orchard of 300 trees three and four years old. 
Ans. —No more efficient remedy for 
Apple borers has yet been devised than the 
old-fashioned method of digging them out. 
This should be done in early Spring, 
when they can be quite readily located by 
the little particles of sawdust that are 
thrown out from their burrows. With a 
good, sharp knife and a wire most of the 
borers can be reached and destroyed. 
Some report good results from injecting 
into the burrows through the little open¬ 
ings out of which the sawdust is thrown, 
the ill-smelling liquid known as carbon 
bisulphide, whose fumes penetrate all 
through the burrows and kill the borers. 
After injecting the liquid the hole should 
be plugged up with putty or some similar 
substance so as to prevent the fumes from 
escaping. Early Spring, that is, in April, 
is the best time to get at Apple borers. 
M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
An Army of Maggots. 
IT. 8. J., Stella, 0 .—I saw. crossing a 
path recently, something that at first glance 
looked like a small gray snake, but upon 
closer examination I found it to be a moving 
mass of worms, so closely joined together as 
to appear like one solid body. The individ¬ 
ual specimens were about three-eighths of 
an inch long and the diameter of a coarse 
sewing thread. They seemed to bo transpar¬ 
ent, with a dark line running through them, 
I suppose to be the intestine; the head was 
black. They formed a mass exactly in the 
shape of a snake, except the head, which was 
branched. 
Ans. —'I'lie peculiar “snake” which the 
correspondent saw was doubtless a family 
of small maggots, which feed upon decay¬ 
ing vegetation and fungus growths. They 
are gregarious in habit, and when about 
to transform to the pupa state often con¬ 
gregate in immense numbers, thus form¬ 
ing processions that have been observed 
four or five inches wide and 10 or 12 feet 
long. They travel in a solid column from 
four to six deep on each other, advancing 
about an inch a minute. From this pecu¬ 
liar habit they have been called the army 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
worm in Europe. They transform into 
small, mosquito-like insects, known as fun¬ 
gous gnats; scientifically they belong to 
the genus Sciara. Such “snakes are not 
common. I have never seen one. 
M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
Filling a Vault. 
L., Connecticut .—1 have a vault under my 
barn 30 x 14 feet and six feet deep. I wish 
to fill it up with stone and cement on top for 
stabling purposes. IIow should this be done t 
Ans. —If you do not wish to use stone 
for the purpose of getting rid of them 
I should use dirt. Ordinarily the dirt 
could be handled for from 50 to 75 per 
cent of the cost of stone. Tamping it 
solid is all you need to do. After you are 
through then lay cement just the same as 
though it had not been filled. We filled 
an old cellar under a factory last Fall, and 
laid cement, using dirt for filling. If you 
use stone I would save the small ones 
for the last six inches, and then fill in 
with a mixture of Portland, one part, sand 
five parts, making it thin enough to run 
in at least six inches, not thin enough to 
run deep into the body of stone, because 
that would be unnecessary. It will re¬ 
quire nearly 100 loads to do the job. 
Haven’t you a nearby spot that you could 
spare, and arrange to scrape it in? 
H. E. COOK. 
Fertilizer Mixture for Fruit. 
J. A. MV,, Amesbury, 3Iass .—What do you 
think of the following as a fertilizer for fruit 
trees and small fruits: 400 pounds hard¬ 
wood ashes; 100 pounds cottonseed meal; 50 
pounds acid rock phosphate? 
Ans.—S uch a mixture of average sub¬ 
stance would contain: 
Phosphoric 
Nitrogen. Potash, acid. 
100 lbs. cotton seed meal. 6% 1 3 
400 lbs. ashes. -0 8 
50 lbs. acid phosphate... 7 
550~ 0 % -1 18 
This is a fair proportion of plant food 
for fruits, but we would not try to mix 
these substances. The lime in the ashes 
will "revert” the soluble phosphate as 
explained on page 424. We have not 
been able to mix other chemicals thor¬ 
oughly. with wood ashes, which are too 
light and powdery to mix well with coarse 
fertilizers. We would use the ashes alone, 
and mix the meal and acid phosphate if 
need be. From choice we would use two 
parts of wood ashes to one part of fine 
ground bone, and add nitrate of soda as 
the trees and plants showed their need. 
Destroying Two Running Weeds. 
8. 11. C. (No address .)—Do you know of 
any way of freeing ground of blackberries 
and morning-glories? 
Ans.—I suppose the question has refer¬ 
ence to the wild running blackberry or 
dewberry. If so, and -the plants are lo¬ 
cated under a fence or stone wall, their 
destruction is indeed a hard job. Plants 
of that nature have latent buds on their 
roots, and if any small portion of the 
roots remain in the soil they will soon 
multiply. Fortunately such plants must 
have a long season of growth to store up 
energy for future propagation. If we can 
remove a portion of the roots by plowing 
and cultivation, exposing to the sun for 
the early part of the season such portions 
as cannot be handily removed, we have 
accomplished one-half of the job. 1 he 
remaining rootlets can be smothered out 
by sowing some quick growing dense crop, 
buckwheat for instance, working on the 
principle that no plant can long endure 
without its leaves. The same will apply 
to the morning-glory. 
JOHN JEANNIN, JR. 
Training of Cherry Trees. 
T. 8., Philadelphia, Pa .—I have planted 
some cherry trees. 1 purpose cultivating 
with truck crops for one or two seasons, then 
I will decide about after treatment. About 
what height should I begin heading the trees, 
and what of first pruning? They were 
trimmed to single stem and cut back well. 
Ans. —Cultivating the trees with truck 
crops between them is a good plan; it 
will push them along as rapidly as any 
other treatment, and use the spaces be¬ 
tween them economically. It does not 
matter how long the trucking is continued, 
provided the soil is kept well stirred and 
enriched, as it must be to grow profitable 
crops of vegetables. As I understand the 
matter, the trees were single stems well 
cut back last Spring, and their heads arc 
therefore started low. If this is the' case 
I approve of their treatment so far. The 
distance above the ground for cherry 
trees, and all other kinds for that matter, 
should vary according to the class or 
even the variety of tree. The sour or 
Morello class of cherry trees are more 
spreading in habit than the Hearts and 
Bigarreaus, and should have their heads 
started about three feet from the ground. 
The others, being more upright, should 
be headed lower, and some of the very 
upright ones not over two feet high. As 
to first pruning, I would prefer a central 
stem with the branches radiating from it 
in all directions, and would prune with 
that end in view. I would not keep back 
the branches of the Morello type, for the 
trees of this class need very little guidance 
in forming their heads. Some of the taller 
growing kinds, such as the Dukes, are 
better for some heading back. 
H. E. v. D. 
Summer Spraying for the Scale. 
E. C. K., Continental, Ohio .—I intended 
spraying with limoid and kerosene for San 
Jo’s 6 scale early this Spring, but owing to 
illness only got a small number of my trees 
treated. I fear they will be very seriously 
injured if they go another season without 
treatment. My plan is to make a 20 or 25 
per cent K.-L mixture, and apply with brush 
to as much of bodies and limbs as I can 
without touching foliage, then spray re¬ 
mainder with 10 per cent solution. I wish 
to begin this as soon as I get time, spraying 
with the 10 per cent solution in July, per¬ 
haps following with another in August, 
l'iease criticise this plan. Would it injure 
trees? 
Ans.— It is of course too late now to 
use a 20 per cent limoid-kerosene mixture 
on fruit trees. Even painting the trunk 
and lower limbs with this strong mixture 
would, most likely, kill the tree. We 
would not use anything stronger than a 
10 per cent solution—that is, 10 quarts of 
kerosene, 10 pounds of limoid to 100 
quarts of water. Even this, when thor¬ 
oughly mixed, should be used with 
caution. We should spray a few trees 
and watch them carefully before doing 
any large amount of spraying. 
A Prune-Plum Hybrid. 
T. 8., Stockton, 111 .—Do you know any¬ 
thing of a fruit that is a cross between a 
prune and a plum, called Prunus Ammonia, 
or something nearly like it? There was 
an agent through here for an Ohio nursery 
selling such trees, recommending them very 
highly as good for a lot of fine fruit, and 
also as a fertilizer for other plums. Trees 
have been planted for live years and no 
fruit yet. 
Ans. —Prunes arc simply plums of the 
European or Prunus domestica species 
with a firm and sugary flesh, well adapted 
to drying. There have been many crosses 
between prunes and ordinary plums of 
this species, but none is of special value. 
Prunus Simoni is probably the species 
meant by P. ammonia. It is the Chinese or 
Apricot plum, bearing large flat fruits 
with a rank, peculiar flavor. Bartlett, 
Chaleo, Climax, Wickson and others of 
Burbank’s hybrids are hybrids of P. Si¬ 
moni. These varieties succeed well in cer¬ 
tain localities, and fail in others. We 
know of no direct crosses between a prune 
and this species. It is not unusual for 
plum trees to fail to bear until more than 
five years planted. 
Public Spraying. —There are several men 
in this vicinity who have done public spray¬ 
ing, but none of them has a power sprayer, 
all using the hand pumps mounted on a kero¬ 
sene barrel. They charge either by (he day 
or so much per tree. When working by the 
day the charge is 85 per day for 1 he man and 
his outfit. The charge per tree is three cents 
for large trees and two cents for smaller ones, 
the employer furnishing a helper and mater¬ 
ials. When working by the day the sprayer 
furnishes his own helper. There is but one 
power sprayer used by any of the orehardists 
about here, and that is of the compressed air 
variety, the pressure being got up while driv¬ 
ing from tree to tree by means of a sprocket 
wheel and chain attached to the wagon wheel. 
This does quite satisfactory work where the 
trees are not too large and when the ground 
is dry. When the ground is wet the wagon 
wheel will slip before sufficient pressure is 
obtained, and this necessitates going over the 
ground twice and finishing on the return trip 
what was necessarily left the first time 
through. The owners of the above outfit 
are contemplating the purchase of a gaso¬ 
line engine outfit. J. o. wadsivorth. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 8. 
FOR SALE CHEAP 
A SMALL ORCHARD, 
within three miles of the City of Geneva. 
PRODUCTIVE AND DESIRABLE. 
For information, address 
Post Office Box 323, Geneva, N. Y. 
APPLE BARRELS AND BOXES, .FS 
Prompt shipments. R. GILLIES. Medina. N. Y. 
SS 
-BUDS!— 
PEACH, APPLE, PEAR, PLUM. 
Buds ready July 1st. Send for list to-day. 
Harrisons Nurseries, Hox 39, Berlin, Md. 
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. H. BLACK, SON & CO., Higlitstown. N. J. 
c 
RIMSON CLOVEI 
Nature's Fertilizer and Ideal Hay 
Crop. Now circular describing its 
merits and why every Farmer and 
Trucker should plant it, mailed FREE. Write for 
prices, also new wheat circular. 
HOLMES SEED COMPANY, Harrisburg, I’a. 
R 
13 O A I C—Crimson Clover Seed, 
1 l\ OrALn EL $4.50 per bushel: Cow 
Peas, $1.75 bushel. J. E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
shows in NATURAL COLORS and 
accurately describes 216 varieties of 
fruit. Send for our liberal terms of distri¬ 
bution to planters.—Stark Bro’s. Louisiana, Mo. 
I and Cabbage Plants. Very 
EL mm Ea I strong, witli big roots. Raised 
by irrigation and heavy fertilization. The plants 
have an average of four square inches of space each 
over the whole field. $1.00, 1,000; $4.00, 5,000 ; 70c. 500. 
CELERY— Giant Pascal, Golden Self .Blanching, 
Winter Queen, White Plume. CABBAGE— Danish 
Bullhead, Surehead, Flat Dutch. Shipped in venti¬ 
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F. W. ROCHELLE, Drawer 3, Chester, N. J. 
VEGETABLE PLANTS 
FIVE MILLIONS CELERY White Plume, 
Giant Pascal, and other varieties, 1,000, $1.00; 10,000 
$8.50; transplanted, 1,000. $2. Cabbage and Tomatoes, 
same prices. LUDVIG MOSBAEK, Onarga, Ill. 
STRAWBERRY MmZ’JSSSZ* 
plant 1900. $1.00 per 100. List free. 
KEVITT'S PLANT FARM, Athenia, N. J. 
POT GROWN STRAWBERRY PLANTStSUS 
will fruit next season. Send for list. Order now. 
BARNES BROS. NURSERY, Box 8, YalesviUe, Ct. 
STRAWBERRIES 
We shall have our usual supply of fine plants ready about August 1. Plants set out in August 
will yield a good crop next season. A list of the best varieties with correct descriptions mailed 
on request. G5th Year. 
ELLWANCER <fc BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. 
Pot 
Crown 
DWYER’S POT-GROWN STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Strong, healthy plants from selected stock of choicest fruiting varieties, sure to give satisfaction and 
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CRIMSON GLOVER 
price of seed on request. 
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TREES 
