776 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 28 , 
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. Tut questions on a 
separate piece of paper. 1 
Scraper for Apple Trees. 
A. II. P., Hulberton, N. Y .—What kind 
of tool do 1 need to scrape shell bark off 
apple trees? 
Ans. —We have used a hoe with half 
the handle cut off, and the edge ground 
sharp. 
Whitewash for Trees. 
A. P., Hew York .—I have left over about 
500 pounds of water-slaked strained lime in 
barrels, with which I wish to whitewash the 
trunks and limbs this Fall after apple har¬ 
vest, with a power sprayer. What can I put 
with the lime to make it stick to the trees? 
Could 1 prepare it as it is used for white¬ 
washing buildings? 
Ans. —With a strong pump you can ap¬ 
ply the whitewash as used for buildings. 
Salt added to the whitewash will make t 
stick better—so will skim-milk used in 
place of water. Resin soap dissolved and 
mixed with the whitewash will add to 
the sticky quality. 
Silk Culture in the South. 
N. B., SMppensburg, Pa .—I am desirous 
of securing information concerning a silk 
worm industry in (he South. Last Summer 
I read an article in regard to the employ¬ 
ment of Italian labor in the South in the 
raising of mulberry trees, silk and in the 
manufacturing of silk. If I remember right¬ 
ly, one party, or a company, had bought a 
large tract of land and proposed to divide 
it into small farms to raise trees and silk. I 
should like to know what success the experi¬ 
ment has met with. 
Ans. —We have little faith in the fu¬ 
ture of silk culture on a large scale in this 
country. In North Carolina considerable 
silk is produced by farmers’ wives and 
daughters, but only in small quantities, 
and as a side issue. As for producing 
silk as is done in Japan or southern Eu¬ 
rope, we do not believe the business is 
fitted to the labor of Americans. Such 
newspaper items are often printed, but 
rarely have much basis in fact. Prof. 
Gerald McCarthy, of Raleigh, N. C., has 
charge of the silk experiments in that 
State, and has issued some bulletins. 
Sweet Potatoes “Go To Strings.’’ 
Reader (No Address ).—Why did my sweet 
potatoes planted on good soil make long 
strings instead of good potatoes? 
At this long range, with but little infor¬ 
mation, it is impossible to give a reason 
for the slender sweet potatoes. It is sug¬ 
gested that the soil is already too rich, 
and the plants “run” to vines and long 
roots. The same occurs in New Jersey 
when the soil is bottom land and unfit 
for the crop. byron d. halsted. 
New Jersey. 
I am unable to say just what the rea¬ 
son for this condition is, but presume it is 
due to the soil or some other local condi¬ 
tion. I have noticed frequently where 
sweet potatoes are grown by level culture 
that the tubers were inclined to be too 
long and slender. This has also been 
true in my experience where sweet pota¬ 
toes were grown by use of straw mulch 
instead of by cultivation, especially in a 
wet year. Since sweet potatoes thrive 
best in rather light soils, it may be that 
the soil in which your correspondent has 
grown sweet potatoes is too heavy or too 
moist at certain times of the year. 
Nebraska. R. a. Emerson. 
The Culture of Beans. 
J. J. O., Hartford, Mich .—Tell us about 
White Kidney beans; the soil required, the 
culture, where seed can be obtained, etc. 
Ans. —Most of the bean growers in this 
vicinity grow the Red Kidney, but the re¬ 
quirements of the White Kidney, in which 
J. J. G. seems to be interested, would 
not differ materially from the red variety. 
Our most successful growers grow them 
in a rotation following corn and follow 
the beans with wheat, and 1 will venture 
to say that any soil that will produce a 
good crop of corn without an overgrowth 
of stalks will give a good crop of beans. 
From my boyhood I have heard it said 
that certain soils were “so poor that they 
would not grow white beans,’ but while 
a poor soil might produce some beans, fer¬ 
tility is essential to success. The beans 
are planted in drills about 30 inches apart, 
with a one-horse planter set to drop the 
beans about four inches apart, which will 
require about one bushel of seed per acre. 
In this latitude the planting is done about 
June 1. The crop should be given clean 
culture, similar to that given corn, except 
that the cultivation and hoeing should be 
done when the vines are dry, as handling 
them when wet from rain or dew seems to 
be injurious. Where the beans are grown 
in large areas they are harvested with 
bean harvesters, which operate with 
knives that run under the row and cut off 
the vines at the roots; but small areas are 
pulled by hand, each man pulling two rows 
at a time, and when he has pulled as many 
as he can conveniently carry they are 
placed tops down so that in returning the 
beans from two more rows can be placed 
in the row with them, thus putting four 
rows into one, which makes the windrows 
far enough apart for the passage of a 
team and wagon to haul in the beans. 
After they have remained on the ground 
long enough to become perfectly cured 
they may be hauled to the barn and stored 
till convenient to thrash. 1 he thrashing 
is done with a power thrasher, and the 
beans are hauled to the warehouse and 
sold without hand picking, this work be¬ 
ing done bv the dealer. 1 he seed can 
usually be obtained from any of the large 
seed dealers. J. o. w. 
Wolcott, N. Y._ 
Keeping Tomatoes. —As to pulling up 
tomato vines with green fruit to ripen 
under shelter, I have had no experience 
with the method. My observation leads 
me to believe that evaporation from the 
fruit and plants would result in shriveled 
fruit of poor quality, though there is no 
doubt but that the fruit would color up. 
My method is quite different, and entirely 
successful. When frost threatens all the 
fruit of fair size is picked. A floor of 
boards is placed in the hotbed frame, and 
on this the tomatoes are placed three or 
four layers deep, the glass is put on, and 
the fruit is left to ripen. The moisture 
is confined, and the fruit ripens plump and 
firm. I have never had occasion, but it 
is possible that unseasonably hot sunshine 
might require shading the bed. Twice 
a week the tomatoes are gone over, the 
ripe fruit removed for market and all un¬ 
sound specimens thrown out. By this 
method last year I sold my last tomatoes 
the day before Thanksgiving and received 
the same fancy price I usually get for my 
first earlies, that is $2 per bushel crate. I 
sold about $30 worth of tomatoes from the 
frame last Fall. d. l. hartman. 
Pennsylvania_ 
FRUIT NOTES. 
Is This the Record? —How large do pears 
grow? I have one pear. Duchess dwarf, 
which measures 11% inches around circum¬ 
ference, and 12 Inches around the top and 
stem ; it weighs 15 ounces. c. m. d. 
Boonton, N. J. 
Planting Blackcaps. —On page G96 you 
advise R. A., Ontario, to plant blackcaps 
early in Spring. After a long experience in 
Michigan let me say that the most satis¬ 
factory way is to plant after the new growth 
attains a height of six inches or so. Prepare 
ground early and keep in good order till 
planting time. Dig a few hundred at a 
time, and plant at once. If the soil is dry 
dip each plant in water just before setting 
and all will grow. Discard any plant with 
top broken if plants are plentiful. This way 
means that you grow your own plants. 
California. J. h. v. 
Hudson Valley Fruit.— This was peach 
year here; everything in the shape of a 
peach tree is loaded, limbs propped up and 
others broken down—peaches galore ! It re¬ 
quires rather more than the average amount 
of good sense and resolution to do the thin¬ 
ning necessary to obtain the best fruit. The 
neglect to do this is seen in the poor stuff 
that gluts the local market in the shape of 
poorly-colored undersized peaches of very in¬ 
ferior flavor that are difficult to sell at any 
price. The wet August is partly responsible 
for the inferior quality of the fruit. With 
the overcrop, the clings and semi-clings took 
an extra grip on the pitg, and the rains 
helped along the rot." J. V, p. 
Hudson, N. Y. 
Doctors Say 
it is better to shave, but 
don’t attempt it without 
the rich, healing lather of 
WILLIAMS’ 1 H STR 
Sold everywhere. Free trial sample 
for 2-cent stamp. Write for “The 
Shavers Guide and How to Dress 
Correctly.” 
The J. B. Williams Co., Glastonbury, Conn. 
O A I ■?—Crimson Clover Seed, 
f VJ rx U A Lb U $5,50 per bushel: Cow 
Peas, $1.75 bushel. J. E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
HOYT IS AT THE HEAD 
With a large and most complete stock of 
Fruit, Forest, Ornamental and Evergreen 
Trees,Vines, Shrubbery, Roses, California 
Privet, Asparagus and Berry plants. 200 
acres in cultivation with Nursery Trees. 
This stock is healthy and fine. Send us 
your list of wants and let ns price it. 
Satisfaction guaranteed. Send for our 
FREE Catalogue. Address, 
DULL TIMES 
DULL KNIVES 
DULL TOOLS 
do not exist where our Practical Hand Power 
Grinder with Carborundum grinding wheel is 
used. Designed to sharpen nnything from a needle to 
an ax in one tenth the time and much better than a 
grindstone. Grinding wheel four inches in diameter, 
one inch face, made of carborundum, the fastest 
cutting abrasive known. Will not draw temper. 
Clamped to a table, turns easily, light pressure need¬ 
ed: always ready, and saves its cost many times 
yearly. Write to-day for particulars. A few good 
agents wanted. 
ROVAI. MANUFACTURING CO., 
220 E. Walnut Street. Lancaster. Pa. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. Ao 
practical fruit growers 
we were using the com¬ 
mon sprayers in our 
own orchards — found 
their defects and then in¬ 
vented THE ECLIPSE. Its 
success practically forced us 
into manufacturing on a 
large scale. You take no 
chances. We have done all 
the experimenting. 
Large fully illustrated 
Catalogue and Treatise 
on Spraying—FREE. 
MORRILL & MOKLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
THE STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS CO., 
NEW CANAAN, CONN. 
TREES 
ROSES 
HARDY 
PLANTS 
All the Best and Hardiest 
varieties. Largest Collec- 
tionsinAme ica. 144 page 
illustrated catalog FREE. 
ELLWANGER £i 1IARRY, 
Mount Hope Nurseries, 
Drawer F, Rochc-ter, N. Y, 
Special Sale of Fruit Trees. 
In order to reduce a large stock of 
extra fine Fruit Trees, Call’s Nurseries, 
Perry, Ohio, are making a special thirty 
days sale of Fruit, Shade and ornamental 
trees. This is a rare chance to secure 
the Best Stock grown at very low prices. 
Write them for prices, stating the amount 
wanted. 
RUBY RED RASPBERRY. 
This grand berry ) -s again proven itself to be the 
best for profit. A fine stock of plants for Fall setting 
for sale. Price list r.nd circular upon application. 
C. G. VEL1E & SON, 
Valley View Fruit Farm, Marlboro, N, Y. 
BARTLETT PEARS 
these as well as all kinds of Early A PPT TTQ 
have paid well this season. We TV I I 
have a fine stock of botli : also a full line of Nursery 
stock. Catalogue free. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., Hightstown, N. J. 
It Is Worth While 
Bay a machine that dues the work 
right — that cleans its strainer 
automatically with a brush , 
mixes liquid mechanically so that 
oliage is never burned, but gets 
ts due proportion. 
Empire King, and 
Orchard Monarch 
do these things. They ihrow finest 
■pray, are easiest to work and they 
never clog. You ought to know 
more about them. Write for in¬ 
struction book on spraying, form¬ 
ulas, etc. Mailed free.' 
FIELD FORCE PI MP CO., 
No. ‘2 11th St. , Elmira, N . Y. 
Have your trees 
SAN JOSE SCALE ? 
PRATT’S ‘ ‘ SCALECIDE ” REIT {OLEUM 
can save them. 
Results the best. Price the least. 
We guarantee it. 
Write us for endorsements by experiment stations. 
B. G. PRATT COMPANY, 
11 Broadway, New York. 
TREE PROTECTORS 
75c. per IOO—$5 per IOOO 
Send for free samples and testimonials. 
Do not wait until Rabbits and Mice 
ruin your trees. 
WRITE US TO-DAY, 
Hart Pioneer Nurseries, 
Fort Scott, Kiwis. Box 73. 
?o h r e th» c « CELERY and STRAWBERRIES 
in Rukal Nkw-YORKEU was taken August 28. Straw¬ 
berry Plants set June 4, 1905. Plants for sale by 
SAMUEL COOPER, Delevan, N. Y. 
D A MOV Mine. Perret, Genuine: gold medal. Hardy 
I HIlO I White Welsh Onion; all kinds of seeds for 
florists and market gardeners. Silver Modal at the 
St. Louis Exposition. BEAULIEU, Woodhaven, N.Y. 
Potatoes. —Carman, Cobbler, Noroton Beauty, Gold 
Coin, Hustler, Longfellow. C. W. Ford, Fishers, N.Y. 
TANKS and TOWERS 
We Build All Sizes and Kinds 
CALDWELL TANKS don’t leak. 
CALDWELL TOWK US don’t fall 
down. 
Get Illustrated catalogue: also 
ask for prices, erected ready for 
use. 
W E. CALDWELL CO. 
Louisville, Ky 
PEACH 
and other FRUIT TREES at whole¬ 
sale prices. Circular free. R. S. 
JOHNSTON, Box 4, Stockley. Del. 
Cider Machinery—Send for Catalogue to Boomer & 
BoschertPress Co., 118 West Water St..Syracuse, N.Y. 
D; 
if 
ERCKm/S TREES 
Are as good as the best. 60 yearsjn 
business is our guarantee. 
Catalog Free. 
P. J. BERCKMJtMS CO., Inc., 
Fruitland Nurseries. AUGUSTA, GA. 
460 acres in Trees and Shrubs. Established 1856. 
FRUIT TREES 
at $5 to $iO per IOO 
FREIGHTPAID. 
We have a fine lot of JUNE BUD 
and one year old Peach Trees; 
one and two year Apple. Pear, 
Cherry and Plum; Shade Trees, 
Shrubbery, Roses, Grapes, etc. 
Strawberry Plants by the million. 
Write for Catalogue and Prices, 
Mention this paper. 
CHATTANOOGA NURSERIES, 
Chattanooga, Teuu. 
KFRUIT BOOK 
'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. 
FRUIT TREES THAT GROW 
and hear fruit true to label. Fine assortment of stock. 
All conveniences for packing FRUIT GROWERS 
and DEALERS ORDERS. Can save you 15 to JO 
per cent on large or small orders. Get my prices and 
free catalogue without delay. 
Martin Wahl, Nurseryman, Rochester, N. Y. 
CALIFORNIA PRIVET. 
This most popular hedge plant, as well as all other 
kinds of ornamental ana general nursery stock. 
Catalogue FREE. Address, 
JOS. H. BLACK,SON & CO., Hlghtstowu.|N, J. 
NOW IS THE TIME TO TRANSPLANT. 
Bear in mind that Trees, Shrubs and Hardy Plants succeed best if planted in the autumn. 
Send for the Illustrated Catalogue of the famous DWYER FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL SHADE 
TREES, SHRUBS, ROSES, CREEPING VINES AND SMALL FRUITS, We have on hand a full 
line of hardy, vigorous, acclimated stock grown in our own nurseries, guaranteed true to name, free from 
disease,—sure to grow and give satisfaction. We do Landscape Gardening in all its branches. 
Our Catalogue mailed FREE Write to-day. T. J. DWYER & CO., Box 1, Cornwall, N. Y. 
TREES 
fiC PCD IOO CRCIfillT DAin Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, Peach and Carolina 
run Ivwi rnciun I rAIU Poplars, healthy, true to name and fumigated. 
All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale prices. Remember we beat all other reliable 
Nurseries in quality and price. Catalogue free, Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N.Y 
TILE DRAINED LAND IS MORE PRODUGTIVE 
Earliest and easiest worked. 
Carries off surplus water; 
admits air to the soil.® In¬ 
creases the value. Acres of swampy land reclaimed and made fertile. 
Jackson's Hound Oruln Tile meets every requirement. We also make Sewer 
Pipe, Red and Fire Brick, Chimney Tops, Encaustic Side Walk Tile,etc. Write 
for What you want and prices. JOil.1 U. JAtKSOH, 76 Third Are., Albany, 24. Y. 
