664 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 1, 
HOW TO RIPEN KIEFFER PEARS. 
One of our readers in Louisiana says he, 
has a number of Ki'effer pear trees, and he 
wants to get the fruit in best possible con¬ 
dition. Will you give your experience as 
to picking and packing this fruit? 
My experience in handling the Kieffer 
pear so as to keep and ripen has been 
a failure. The fruits would invariably rot 
before they would color up except in a 
very few specimens out of several trials 
to put them up, and they did not come up 
to my expectation, being coarse, flavorless, 
but making a fine show, as a well ripened 
Kieffer is a beautiful fruit indeed. They 
are used here mostly for preserves, being 
picked when about full grown and put 
in glass jars. It will, however, pay to 
plant the Kieffer for cattle and hogs, and 
horses are very fond of the fruit when 
they learn to eat them; they quickly learn 
how. The Kieffer is a sure and prolific 
cropper, much more so than the LeConte, 
and I believe less subject to blight. 
Louisiana. j. L. norm and. 
My experience in handling Kieffer 
pears for home market and family use 
has taught me to gather them before they 
are fully ripe. They should be left on 
the trees until they are fully grown and 
will come off easily by bending their 
stems where they join the wood. This 
is usually before the fruit begins to turn 
yellow. It should be at once put in shal¬ 
low boxes or crates and stored in a dry 
cellar or building to ripen that will main¬ 
tain a steady temperature that is neither 
very cool nor very warm. The warmer 
it is the sooner the pears will ripen. 
Judgment should be used regarding the 
time of ripening, according to the state 
of the local market, provided the fruit is 
to be sold. If it is for home use the 
sooner it is ripened the better, usually. 
As the pears soften, which is largely in¬ 
dicated by turning yellow, they should be 
sorted over and sold, or used at once. If 
they are not often sorted over there will 
be loss from over-ripeness and decay. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
This pear, unlike most of the other 
pears, should be left on the tree until the 
last possible moment. It will keep longer 
there than in any other place so far as 
I know. We have picked them green, but 
they do not ripen well laid away, but 
if left on the tree until yellow—then put 
in layers in the driest coolest place to be 
found, they will keep several weeks. Of 
course, this means careful handling and 
no bruises. This type of pears seems to 
be the only one that we can depend upon 
in Louisiana and even these blight very 
badly. At the State Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, the Smith seems to be the only re¬ 
sistant variety we have. This variety has 
borne regular crops annually for several 
years, and has not blighted. The LeConte 
blights badly and the Kieffer oftentimes 
does also, but is more resistant than the 
LeConte. The Smith is not as desirable 
as either of the others mentioned, but as 
it does not blight with us, it is the most 
desirable pear we have. f. h. burnette. 
Louisiana Experiment Station. 
We have practiced the following 
method in preparing our Kieffer pears for 
market, in order that they should not 
only show good color but attain a fair 
flavor. If the fruit is allowed to hang 
on the trees until near maturity it will 
never assume the quality it will when 
handled as follows: Gather the fruit 
when it has attained its full development, 
and then place in single layers on frames 
made of ceiling-laths in a cool, dark room, 
covering with ordinary cotton sheeting, 
thus allowing the fruit to ripen gradually 
and attain such quality as will make it 
readily salable as good table fruit. After 
the pears have lain on the frames for 
from one to three weeks they will have 
became very juicy and of good flavor. As 
to the lasting period, this is difficult to 
state, as it depends very much on the con¬ 
dition of the weather. We have had them 
to last during ordinary cool Falls as late 
as the first of December; in other seasons 
they were hardly good beyond the first 
of November, but in northern sections 
diey can doubtless be kept in good con¬ 
dition until early Winter. 
Georgia. p. j. berckmans co., Inc., 
I would pick them carefully and put 
in a cool place, not more than six inches 
deep, and cover over with sacks or a 
wagon sheet just as soon as seeds are 
fully black. If trees are not too full and 
fruit is well colored and good size, it will 
by this treatment develop a very good 
flavor for so coarse a pear, and sell read¬ 
ily for a good price. But where trees 
are allowed to bear too full, and only 
fruit grow to half size, they can hardly 
be handled in a way to make them fairly 
eatable. After stored, they must be 
looked over frequently, and any of them 
showing signs of decay removed. In 
sections of country where rot prevails, 
as is the case to some extent with us 
here, the best way to get the most out of 
the crop in cash is to take off and dis¬ 
pose of them for preserving purposes, 
just as soon as seeds are black. We 
shall start several wagons in about 10 
days and haul the fruit to farmers on the 
black lands for many miles north and 
west of us. Thus we clear fully a dollar 
per bushel for our Kieffers. After 
housed about 10 days they begin to mel- 
lpw and turn yellow, when they are ready 
to pack in either one bushel boxes or 
one-half bushel baskets and sold in our 
towns to fruit venders or storekeepers as 
well as private parties. 
Texas . j. w. stubenrauch. 
THE OUTLOOK FOR POTATOES. 
Potatoes promise to be a big crop if noth¬ 
ing like blight or decay happens them. 
Buffalo, N. Y. potter & Williams. 
The potato crop looks very good at pres¬ 
ent. Indications are now that'we will have 
an average yield. e. e. hewitt. 
Grand Rapids. Mich. 
The prospect for a large crop of potatoes 
is very promising in Minnesota, Wisconsin 
and Northern Michigan. Illinois crop is 
light. P. E. NELLIS & CO. 
Chicago. 
Present prospects for potato crop in the 
West is excellent. The late potato crop, as 
all understand, has its critical period to go 
through, and the best opinion at present as 
to final results is nothing more than a guess, 
with a favorable outlook to back it up. 
Chicago. c. h. weaver & co. 
The potato crop in this immediate section 
is only fair. The tops are dying off to quite 
an extent, and the potatoes also show some 
rot. Of course we draw most of our supply 
here from Maine. The crop there is reported 
to be large and of very good quality. We 
have not received any information as yet 
about the New York State crop. 
Boston, Mass. w. it. blodget co. 
In regard to our home crop of potatoes, the 
estimate is about two-thirds, which, however, 
we consider will nearly lie exhausted, and not 
have any effect upon the arrivals of Michi¬ 
gan, Wisconsin, Minnesota or other points 
that they may originate from in their Fall 
season, sq that we look for a more active de¬ 
mand and a better season on potatoes on this 
market here than they had last season. 
Cincinnati, O. henry ransick & sons. 
MAKING “SEEDLESS” APPLES. 
I have read in your paper how anxious you 
are to learn how to grow a seedless apple. 
A relative of mine read in a paper several 
years ago that seedless apples could be pro¬ 
duced by taking a low limb of an apple tree, 
and covering the end with soil until rooted 
and then cut it off from the tree. So he 
tried it. and it grew to be a very tine large 
tree, and bore very heavily. The tree from 
which the sprout was taken bore an apple 
with a very large core. But this tree’s 
apples were without core or seeds, except for 
a very small center core and one or two 
seeds. The tree was very hardy, but unfor¬ 
tunately, the cold Winter three years ago 
killed it with the rest of our orchard. Prob¬ 
ably if this process was again repeated it 
would produce a perfectly coreless and seed¬ 
less apple. w. m. 
Gansevoort, N. Y. 
On page (>02 .T. C. G., Albermarle. Va.. tells 
you how he thinks the Seedless apple might 
have been grown. That will not do. About 
15 years ago I saw this very thing in some 
paper, and tried it, and I have the tree on 
my farm. It has nice large sweet apples 
more or less every year, but for the seeds— 
well, it has plenty of them and lots of room 
for more. Enclosed you will find the seeds 
from one apple that weighed three ounces. 
The apple is a seedling of fair size, and 
white, without a bit of color. j. n. n 
Newport Pa. 
R. N. Y.—There were 10 good sized seeds. 
Surely this apple is not likely to commit race 
suicide! 
Moldy Alfalfa Hay. —In a recent issue is 
an article headed “Alfalfa Hard to Spoil." 
If you will look over some of the experiment 
stations’ reports you will see that the ana¬ 
lytical, chemical and feeding value of Alfalfa 
deteriorates more rapidly by wetting than any 
.other fodder we have. It is true that cattle 
will eat it when it is rotten, but I doubt the 
expediency of feeding it in that state. We, 
all of us, in the arid West cut Alfalfa too 
late, when in curing the leaves, the most 
valuable part, drop off on the ground and are 
lost. The stems then become woody. Alfalfa 
should be cut before it blooms. 
New Mexico. a. c. Austin. 
The Lilac Bush. —Bulletin 2. Vol. 4, of 
the Division of Zoology, Pennsylvania 
Dept, of Agriculture, contains an article from 
which we take the following: 
“Among the old-fashioned familiar plants 
often seen in dooryards, particularly in the 
country, none is more common nor more 
worthy of preservation than the good old 
lilac. Its flowers come the earliest and re¬ 
main for a long time, and for us who were 
reared upon the farm its associations have 
been such that the sight of its flowers are al¬ 
ways recalling to us tender memories and 
recollections 'Hie lilac is a very hardy 
shrub, and so easily grown that but little care 
is required to keep it growing year after year 
and retain its beauty and vigor. As with 
all plants, the process of producing seed is 
very exhaustive upon its vigor, and for this 
GOLD COIN SEED WHEAT 
$1.10 per bushel: bags extra, stiff straw, hardy, 
yield this year 40 bushels. Also O. I. C. Pigs. 
J. D, DATES, Ludlowville, N. Y. 
GENESEE VALLEY SEED WHEAT. 
We offer three of the hardiest varieties that have 
proven excellent yielders. "Shepards Prolific”, a 
long berry, red. bearded; "Rural New-Yorker No. 6”, 
white large berry, red chaff, bald: "No. 8", short red 
berry, white chaff, very stiff straw. Price $1.00 per 
bushel for five bushels or more, nicely cleaned. Sacks 
free. Cash with order. ,J. N. MACI’HEUSON, 
Pine View Farm, Seottsville, New York. 
SEED WHEAT 
10,000 Bu. Grown On 300 Acres, 
Grown with great care, especially for seed purposes, 
clean and sound, yielding from 28 to 42 bus. per acre. 
Six best varieties known, now offered at moderate 
prices direct from farmer to farmer. Write for 
Booklet, Prices and Samples. State how much you 
will use. Address 
A. H. HOFFMAN, Bamford, Lane. Co., Pa. 
60 Bus. Winter Wheat Per Acre 
That’s the yield of Salzer’sRed Gross Hybrid Winter 
Wheat. Sond 2c. in stamps for free sample of same, 
as also catalogue of Winter Wheats, Rye, Barley, 
Glovers, Timothy, Grasses, Bulbs, Trees, etc., for fall 
planting. John A. Salzkk Seed Go., LaGrosse, Wis. 
SELLING SEED WHEAT guarantee 
is original with me. Send for booklet describing 
smooth and bearded varieties of Red Wheat. 
Willis R. Knox 14 Newport Ave., Intercourse, Pa. 
DURE SEED WHEAT— Improved Poole ami other 
* smooth varieties. All big yielders. Recleaned, $1 
bus. Order early. Ohio Pure Seed Go., Columbus, 0. 
reason it is better to clip off the bunches 
usually forming seed buds a I this time of 
year, or after the flowers fall the sod around 
the bushes should lie turned, weeds pulled and 
some commercial fertilizer or mulch or ma¬ 
nure added. The lilac can he made to bloom 
twice per year, or in other words to put out 
a new set of leaves and also flower buds in 
the Fall, by stripping it of its leaves 
the latter part of .Tune. This, however, 
means that the plant is forced to 
double duty, and where this is undertaken 
fertilizer or plant food should by all means 
he added to the soil and cultivation and 
watering should also he observed, and with 
proper care the vitality of the plant may not 
he impaired by forcing it lo produce a Fall 
crop of blossoms. 
full and reli ble cultural directions, 
and containing, as formerly, the 
largest and most varied assortment 
of high class Bulbs in America, 
is now ready and will be mail d 
free to all who send for it. A 
postal is sufficient. 
J. M. THORBURN & COMPANY 
33 BARCLAY STREET, 
THROUGH TO 
38 PARK PLACE, 
NEW YORK. 
Founded in 1802* 
FERTILIZER LIME.Se 
WALTON QUARRIES, Harrisburg, Pa. 
APPIP RARRPI ^ ' rhree factories. Capacity 
rtriLL DHnriLLO 10.000 per day. Low price, 
prompt shipment. R. GILLIES, Medina. N. Y. 
GATHER VEGETABLES 
in our VENTILATED BUSHEL CRATE8. 
They eave one-third time. Strong, durable, 
cheap. 9c and 11ceach,discountsonquantiticB. 
Write today for FREE Illustrated booklet. 
Geneva Cooperage Co.,Box 20. Geneva.O. 
Mammoth White Winter Rye. 
The finest Rye ever offered for FALL PLANT¬ 
ING. Write at once for sample and price. Also 
Longberry, Rudy, Fultzo- 
Mediterranean. 
HOLMES SEED CO., HARRISBURG, PA. 
iiv »» i i vxz au uiivc 
SEED WHEAT 
COD C Al C—.Crimson Clover Seed, $4.30 perlm. 
rUn wflLb Five-eighths Peach Baskets.$35per 
1000. .JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
APPLE TREES, 
Nothing But Apple Trees. 
The Safest and BEST Apple 
Trees in the World. 
We offer nearly 100,000 thrifty one and 
two year old apple trees, all bred from 
selected bearing parents. Every tree 
our own growing. 
ROGERS ON THE HI EE, 
Apple Breeders, Dansville, N. Y. 
NURSERY STOCK. 
A FULL LINE OF 
FRUIT TREES, BERRY PLANTS, 
and General Nursery Stock. Catalogue Free. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., Hightstown, N. J. 
fTADlWREES ARE FAMOUS 
\| |l|v» wherever planted; are planted 
Al|/every where trees are grown. Free 
Catalog of superb fruits—Black Ben, 
King David, Delicious, etC.-StarkBro’s,Louisiana, Mo. 
MONEY IN GROWING PEONIES 
For Cut Flowers. No “GET-RICH-QUICK-SCHEME,” but a 
certain moderate annual profit without a penny for running 
expenses. The Industry in its Infancy. Wonderful Pos¬ 
sibilities. We'll prove it if you’ll send us your name on 
a postal card. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT. 
Mohican Peony Gardens 
Sinking Springs, Penn. 
Ward Rlanlrhorrific aiKi Blackberry Plants 
naru DldCKnemea and Dewberry Plants for 
sale: send for price. Michael N. Borgo,Vineland, N.J. 
““8F 1 ” STRAWBERRIES SB8 
plant guaranteed or money returned. Send for my 
mid-summer catalog. T C. KEVITT, Athenia, N. J. 
SPECIAL LOW PRICES 
FOR FALL PLANTING. 
We are offering this fall for the first time 
Jacob Moore’s NEW DIPLOMA CURRANT, 
largest and most productive of all red currants. 
We offer APPLE, PLUM and CHERRY trees 
at special low prices if ordered between now and 
October 15th. We have a surplus of large size 
SUGAR and SILVER MAPLES, AMERICAN 
WEEPING ELM, also CAROLINA POPLAR and 
LOMBARDY POPLARS in all sizes. 
Catalogue mailed free on application. 
GREEN’S NURSERY CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
I ul II! Vi f vjI ULtl 7 
Fruit and 
Potato Grower, 
LUUK HERE! 
Wire Baskets. 
SOMETHING NEW 
in the line of 
Pat. 7 - 13 - 97 . 
No Rust; No Rot; Strong and Durable; Light in Weight; Indestructible 
Reasonable in Price. 
Also make to order Wire Waste, Clothes and Lawn Baskets and 
Poultry Exhibit Coops. Agents wanted. Exclusive territory given. 
For particulars write to 
MUKGER MFG. CO., - Beach City, Ohio. 
Dwyer’s Pot Grown Strawberry Plants 
Strong, healthy plants from selected stock of choicest fruiting varieties sure to give 
satisfaction and PRODUCE A FULL CROP IN 1907. 
We also have a full liue of Fruits and Ornamental Trees, Plants, Vines, etc., for 
Fall Planting. We do Landscape Gardening in all its branches. Catalogue Free. 
T. J. DWYER & CO., P. O. Box I, Cornwall, New York. 
TP r r Q $ 5 per too, freight paid Poplars, healthy, true to name and funiieated. 
Rri 1 J\ All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale prices. Remember we beat all other reliable 
I I lbAfi Nurseries in quality and price. Catalogue free, Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N.Y. 
