December 29, 
96o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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.] 
Liver of Sulphur on Gooseberries. 
II. A. ]}., Victor, Mont .—-Would liver of 
sulphur lie good to spray currants and goose¬ 
berries. for mildew, as it is for grapes, and 
when and how it should be applied? 
Ans. —It is the best remedy for Goose¬ 
berry mildew, and should be used in fresh 
solution at the rate of one-half ounce to 
the gallon of water. Use heat to dissolve 
it. 
Grape for Wine-Making. 
O. L., Ridgewood, N, J .—What grape do 
you advise for the purpose of making wine 
for domestic use, one that will give 
best satisfaction, and is easy of cultivation? 
Ans. —Probably the best grape for 
your purpose would be Ives, often cata¬ 
logued as Ives Seedling. This is a hardy 
and reliable grape, free from rot and of 
fair quality for wine-making, though not 
rated high for dessert purposes. Our 
second choice would be Concord, though 
it has not usually proven as satisfactory 
for your purpose as Ives. 
Types of Montmorency Cherry. 
E. S., Deimar, E. Y .—I have been puzzled 
to know why some nurserymen list Mont¬ 
morency cherry in two varieties, namely Or¬ 
dinaire and Large-fruited, and others list 
simply ‘Montmorency.” If there are two va¬ 
rieties, which one does “Montmorency” be¬ 
long to? 
Ans. —There seem to be two distinct 
types of the Montmorency cherry, the 
ordinary and the large-fruited. Some 
nurserymen claim that they are really 
identical, but most of the larger growers 
think there is enough difference to war¬ 
rant the two names. The large Mont¬ 
morency is less productive, but bears 
larger fruits. It is not considered as 
profitable as the other variety, which is 
generally catalogued as Montmorency 
Ordinaire. 
Barren Butternuts. 
F. A. , '"’ccdsport, N. Y .—We have a 
number of butternut trees on our place that 
have not borne for several years. They are 
mostly on lines between lots and along the 
lane on well-drained land. Can you give 
nnv explanation for it, and what to do for 
tne-" ? 
Ans. —We can give you no reason for 
your butternut trees not bearing, except 
they may possibly bloom during rainy 
weather, which would prevent the pollen 
from being transferred from the catkins 
or male blooms to the pistillate or female 
blooms. Trees of this character bear the ; r 
flowers separately, and unless the catkins 
come out in fair weather the trees often 
fail to bear for that year. Tt might be 
that the late frost injured the bloom buds 
so that no pollen is formed. Probably 
in time, your trees may begin to bear as 
well as ever, as the productiveness of but¬ 
ternut trees depends on the weather at 
blooming time. 
Propagation of Chrysanthemums. 
J. H. W., Cass Station, Oa .—I have road 
article on page 869 about Chrysanthemums, 
by W. II. Taplin. I am exceedingly anxious 
to learn how to grow fine “mums." lie 
says that the plants are grown from Spring- 
rooted cuttings, the cuttings obtained from 
old plants. Does he mean to cut off this 
year’s growth and bury in sand, then cut it 
up next Spring and plant? Or does he mean 
to use the sprouts that come while the plants 
were blooming this Fall ? 
Ans. —Chrysanthemums are ordinarily 
propagated from January to June; most 
of those grown for exhibition blooms are 
propagated during March or early April. 
After flowering is over, the old plants are 
cut back, and kept in a light airy situa¬ 
tion, with a temperature of about 40 de¬ 
grees; they may be kept in pots, or 
planted out on a greenhouse bench. They 
will soon form suckers or break into 
growth, which affords fine cuttings for 
propagation. Sometimes cuttings are 
taken from the old plants in November, 
rooted in sand, and then planted in flats 
and treated like the old plants. When 
growing nicety these little plants have the 
top pinched out, which causes them to 
break into several shoots, which will 
make fine cuttings when propagating 
time arrives. This latter method takes 
less space than the old plants. As the 
Chrysanthemum is propagated from soft- 
wooded cuttings the process suggested in 
the inquiry could not be used. We 
would recommend you to study a little 
manual entitled “The Chrysanthemum,” 
by Arthur Herrington, price 50 cents, 
which contains much cultural informa¬ 
tion. 
Grafting Plums. 
J. R. CNo Address ).—I would like to know 
the particular points in grafting plums. -1 
have no trouble grafting pears and apples, 
but have no success with plums. 
Ans. —All the stone fruits are far more 
difficult to graft than the pome fruits, 
such as the apple and pear, but it can be 
done practically and profitably. They do 
not succeed so well grafted at the ordi¬ 
nary season for grafting, that is, while 
flic trees are dormant as after the bark 
begins to peel in the Spring. Plum 
scions are cut while they are dormant, 
and preferably, before severe Winter 
weather. They should be kept in a very 
cool place, where they will not start in 
the least, until the stocks have begun to 
swell their buds into growth. 'I hen the 
grafting should be done. Almost any 
style can be used, but the methods called 
bark-grafting are better than the ordinary 
split and tongue-grafts. The scions are 
sloped all from one side and merely 
slipped under the bark of the stock, tied 
fast with a string and waxed thoroughly. 
H. K. VAN DEMAN. 
Rot of Wickson Plums. 
C. IF. ()., Middle port, N. Y .—I have a few 
trees of Japanese plums of the Wickson va¬ 
riety which bore full this season for the 
first time. They were three years old When 
set, which was four years ago. The fruit 
all rotted on the trees before maturing. Can 
you inform me what caused it, and would 
thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture 
prevent it? What treatment would you ad¬ 
vise to prevent it? 
Ans. —Japan plums are very subject to 
rot just before ripening. This comes from 
the attack of a fungus that is always very 
abundant in damp weather. The Wickson 
seems as liable to rot as other varieties. 
Bordeaux Mixture, six pounds each cop¬ 
per sulphate and lime to 50 gallons of 
water, sprayed over the trees in Spring 
before the buds swell, will kill most of 
the dormant spores. The solution at one- 
half strength, that is, three pounds each 
copper sulphate and lime to 50 gallons of 
water, may be sprayed over the trees after 
the leaves come out, giving it two or three 
applications while the plums are growing, 
and especially just before they begin to 
ripen. This treatment is troublesome, but 
has proved fairly effective, and is the only 
known way to control this disease. 
Plants and Flowers. —The florists' Christ¬ 
mas trade has increased enormously of late 
years, and there is, perhaps, no other line of 
business that suffers so severely if excessively 
cold and stormy weather marks the holiday 
season. In spite of heated delivery wagons 
and careful wrapping there is considerable 
risk in moving tender plants at this season, 
and the danger is increased by careless trans¬ 
portation service during the holiday rush. 
While cut flowers are enormously used, espe¬ 
cially red carnations and roses, pot plants 
are in especial favor. Red being the Christ¬ 
mas color, one of the leading favorites Is 
I’oinsettia puleherrima, a Mexican member 
of the Spurge family, which has each branch 
tipped with glowing red bracts surrounding 
the inconspicuous flowers. Another is Ar- 
disia crenulata, a neat bushy plant with 
shining green leaves and clusters of bright red 
berries, while the Jerusalem cherry (Solanum 
I’seudo-capsicum) is also grown for the same 
season. Primulas, Cyclamens. Begonias and 
Azaleas are among the flowering plants, the 
superb pink Begonia Gloire de Lorraine be¬ 
ing one of the specialties of recent years. In 
foliage plants the Norfolk Island pine, Arau¬ 
caria excelsa, which looks like a very formal 
Christmas tree, is always prominent, and 
there is a very large sale for fern dishes. 
The ornamental receptacles for plants and 
flowers are particularly handsome at this 
season; baskets are more often tilled with 
living plants than cut flowers. There are 
ribbon dealers who devote themselves en¬ 
tirely to the florist trade, producing ribbons 
to match every floral shade, and there is also 
an infinite variety in grape-paper novelties 
for this trade. Porto Itican mats and other 
palm fiber fabrics are also freely used for pot 
covers and baskets. While it is not safe to 
make predictions in the flower trade a week 
ahead, we think prices will be fairly firm 
in cut flowers this Christmas; not because of 
the imaginary “flower trust” some of the 
yellow journalists describe, but because in the 
vicinity of New York at least, we have had 
a great deal of dark or stormy weather during 
the past month. We cannot produce high- 
class flowers without sunlight, and the best 
skill of the florist cannot entirely counteract 
a prolonged period of sunless weather. 
Lightning Rods and Wire Fences. —Our 
experience with lightning rods is so limited 
as to be of no value; because only about 
one per cent of (he buildings here are rodded. 
We lose a great, many cattle and horses along 
wire fences killed by lightning. Most of the 
losses can be prevented by grounding the 
fence wires, affording a passage for the 
lightning into the ground. A smooth gal¬ 
vanized wire of good heft should be nailed 
vertically on the fence post across the other 
wires and run into the ground from four to 
six feet. If such grounders are placed say 
40 or 50 rods apart on all pasture fences 
there will be little loss of cattle from this 
source. c. v. v. 
Leland, Iow a. 
For the land’s sake use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
If you understand Modern Methods and 
Farm INTELLIGENTLY. 
Every Reader of The Rural New-Yorker 
who is interested in farming or gardening, in 
the growing of fruit or of flowers, is invited 
to send for a free copy of our Ml-page catalogue 
and full information in regard to the Home 
Study Courses in Agriculture. Horticulture, 
Landscape Gardening and Floriculture which 
we offer under Prof. Brooks of the Mass. 
Agricultural College and Prof. Craig of Cor¬ 
nell University. 
THE HOME CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL 
DEPT. 18, SPRINGFIELD. MASS. 
Bargains in Cutters. 
Big Discount for the Next TWENTY Days. 
Bobs and Runner Attachments at a Big Discount Also. 
25 styles Cutters, pleasure and Farm Bobs and Run¬ 
ner attachments to choose from. We are the ONLY 
manufacturers of these goods selling direct to con¬ 
sumers. Send for descriptive catalogue and prices. 
KALAMAZOO CARRIAGE AND HARNESS C0„ 
Box 500, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
DDnifCy PDAPIfERQ arc as fresh as whole 
Dnulvcn OnRURCno ones and can be bought 
at low prices from the factory of NEW ENGLAND 
BISCUIT CO., Worcester. Mass, manufacturers of 
the famous “Toasted Butter Crackers,” “Little 
Brothers Lunch Biscuit,” etc. Write us. 
Do You Ship Apples? 
For Export or the Fancy City Trade, pack them in a 
New York, Canadian or Colorado one bushel box. 
S0UTHSIDE M’F’G CO., Petersburg, Va. 
Cpecial Prices for December and January orders 
for Berry Crates and Quart Baskets. Price 
list Free. H. H. Aultfather, Box B, Minerva, Ohio. 
Are You Interested in 
APPLE TREES, 
PEACH TREES, 
CALIFORNIA PRIVET, 
or anything in the line of Nursery Stock, if so, we 
ask you to send for our FREE 48 page illustrated 
catalogue. Our stock of troes and plants is large 
and fine. Write to us. Address, 
THE STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS CO., 
New Canaan, Connecticut. 
SAN JOSE SCALE 
and other INSECTS killed by 
GOOD’S 
Caustic Potash Whaie-Oil Soap No. 3 
Endorsed by U.S.Dept. of Agri. and State Experiment 
Stations. This soap is a Fertilizer as well as an Insecti¬ 
cide. 50-lb. kegs. $2.50; 100-lb. kegs, *4.50; half barrel, 
270 lb., 3ikc per lb; bar,el,425 lb., 3)4c. Send for booklet. 
JAMES GOOD, Original Maker, 
939-41 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
pratts “SGALECIDE n p s et!Sil 
If YOU will guarantee to cover the 
SAN JOSE SCALE, 
WE will guarantee to kill it without injury to the 
tree. Can we do any more? Yes, lowest cost. Price 
in bbls., 5«C. per gal.; 10 gal. ratift, $6; 5 gal. cans,$3.21. :1 gal. calm, 
$1, f. n. b. N, Y. One gal. makes 21 gals, spray by simply sibling 
yvaier. For particulars and circular, address Dept. A, 
B. G. PRATT CO., 11 Broadway, New York. 
i 
DESTROY 
SAN JOSE 
SCALE 
before it destroys your trees. The 
one absolutely sure way to eradicate 
this pest entirely is by using SALT¬ 
MINE—the best, safest, cheapest, 
concentrated spray on the market. 
The original 
TRADE 
SALIMINE 
MARK 
is the result of ten years “At It” and 
"Know How.” It is a Lime, Salt, Sul¬ 
phur, and Caustic Potash solution. 
Recognized by all experimental sta¬ 
tions as the best insecticide for thor¬ 
oughly eradicating scale. One gallon 
mixed with cold water makes 20 gal¬ 
lons of the standard solution. Write 
to-day for free circular with prices. 
Monmouth Chemical Works 
Dept. A. SHREWSBURY, N. J. 
It la Worth While « 
Buy a machine that does the 
work right—that cleans its strainer 
automatically with a brush, mixes liquid 
mechanically so that foliage is never 
burned, but gets its due proportion. 
EMPIRE KIN6, and 
ORCHARD MONARCH 
do these things. They throw finest spray, 
are easiest to work and they never clog. 
You ought to know more about them. IV rite 
for instruction book on spraying, formulas, 
etc. M ailed free. % 
FIELD FORCE PI HP CO., No. 2 11th St^Elmira, N.T. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
tpractical fruit growers 
we were using common 
sprayers in our own orchards 
■—found their defects and 
invented the Eclipse. Its 
success forced us to manu¬ 
facturing on a large scale. 
You take no chances. We 
have done all the experi- 
lenting. Large fully illustrated Catalog and 
’reatise on spraying FREE. 
0RRILL & M0RLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
To introduce onr patented pumpa In every 
county, wo will Bend one pump 
to the first to write accepting our 
special offer. Write to-day. 
AWooden Pump made 
Of Iron. Just remove fulcrum 
mid handle to remove »uck- 
leather. Stock made of iteel, base 
adjustable, brass drain cock prevents 
freezihg. Guaranteed, 
repairs done quickly above ground. 
'Williams” Pump Co. 409 Harmon St, Indlanapolli, In* 
pOT 4 4TOFS—Cobbler, Coin, Giant, Hustler, Hebron, King, Long- 
* fellow,Ohio, Hose; 85 kinds. C. W. FORD, Fishers, N. Y. 
SEND FOR 1907 LIST. 
. TREES are famous 
* wherever planted: are planted 
everywhere.trees are grown. Free 
Catalog of superb fruits—Black Ben, 
Ling David, Delicious, etc.—StarkBro’s, Louisiana, Mo. 
and all other kinds of Trees and Plants. 
Catalogue Free. 
JOS. H BLACK, SON & CO., 
Hightstown, New Jersey. 
To 
prove they are 
healthy and vigorous we’ll 
send Four Trees 3 yrs. old free to 
property owners. Mailing ex¬ 
pense 5c. A postal will bring 
them and our catalog with 64 
colored plates. Write today. 
THE GARDNER NURSERY CO., | 
Box 816, Osage, Iowa. 
RUSH 
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 
Relected bear!tig parents. Every tree 
our own growing. 
ROGERS ON THE HILL, 
Apple Breeders, DmvjUe, N. \ 
