67o 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 7, 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
The Mulch Method on the Rural 
Grounds. —Little lias been said concern¬ 
ing the mulch method of fruit tree cul¬ 
ture on the Rural Grounds, though pro¬ 
fuse mulching of outlying trees with cut 
grass, weeds and vegetable debris has 
been practiced whenever material could 
he procured. When we came in posses¬ 
sion the soil, though originally of fair 
fertility, had been so depleted of humus 
or fibre by the cultivation of nursery 
stock, that neither grass nor weeds would 
make sufficient growth, without the use 
of manure or chemicals, to afford a mulch 
worthy of the name. It was no part of 
our plan to build up fertility by the lav¬ 
ish use of purchased manures, but rather 
to restore the natural texture of the soil 
by the growth of legumes, such as cow 
peas and the clovers. Years of trial have 
demonstrated Crimson clover to be the 
most useful plant for our conditions. Cow 
peas promised well at first, but a succes¬ 
sion of cool Summers has shown them to 
be less dependable than clover. Red and 
Alsike clovers have proved serviceable 
where sown, but do not appear to im¬ 
prove our soil as rapidly as the ranker¬ 
growing annual Crimson kind. After a 
seeding or two of Crimson clover pas¬ 
ture grasses “come in” on all idle plots, 
in the roadways and headlands, and the 
weeds, too, grow luxuriantly when per¬ 
mitted. All this makes mulch material, 
as we have no animals to consume for¬ 
age, and is cut before seeding and placed 
about trees standing in the uncultivated 
portions. The result, as compared with 
clean cultivation and liberal fertilization 
of similar trees is most excellent. The 
mulched trees are healthier, and yield 
better fruit, though making only moder¬ 
ate growth. The heavier the mulch and 
the more thoroughly it is maintained the 
better the obvious results. Mulch culture 
of fruit trees and bushes is now well es¬ 
tablished with us and likely to increase as 
material becomes more abundant. If un¬ 
dertaking a commercial fruit orchard on 
land easily tillable we would probably 
start off with clean cultivation until mid¬ 
summer, with a suitable cover crop for 
Fall and Winter, but unless added experi¬ 
ence should bring about a change of 
view, it would be with idea of profuse 
mulching in place of culture, when bearing 
time arrived. 
Red Spider Rampant.— The trouble¬ 
some little spinning mites known to hor¬ 
ticulturists everywhere as Red spider 
have become a rather serious outdoor 
Summer pest in many localities, particu¬ 
larly where glass-grown bedding plants 
are freely used. They overrun pansy and 
verbena beds, brown the foliage of apple, 
pear and chestnut trees, infest many bush 
fruits and colonize on clovers and weeds, 
such as the Lamium or Dead nettle. They 
live over in greenhouses, and probably 
endure the Winter outside in the egg 
state. They delight in fierce heat, but 
contrary to general opinion, appear to 
increase as rapidly in a humid as a dry 
atmosphere provided the web-like cover¬ 
ing over the foliage is not greatly 
disturbed by storms or forcible spraying 
with cold water, which latter is the regu¬ 
lation treatment under glass and in the 
open where facilities are at hand. This 
is usually successful when thoroughly car¬ 
ried out—not that the adult mites or 
spiders are greatly injured by spraying as 
ordinarily practiced—but they are dis¬ 
lodged by the current and the innumer¬ 
able larvae and eggs that have a mast¬ 
like projection on the upper surface to 
which threads are attached like guy ropes 
to the center-pole of a circus tent, are 
bodily carried away. As old and young 
mites, as well as eggs, are most abundant 
on the under surfaces of the foliage the 
water spray should be directed mainly 
from below and with as great force as is 
consistent with the integrity of the fo¬ 
liage. The colder the water the better, 
as adults as well as young may be chilled 
and carried away when ice water from 
the street service or partially frozen tanks 
in Winter is used, while if about the 
temperature of the air in a warm green¬ 
house or outside in Summer it would not 
greatly disturb them. With small, tough 
foliage, such as that of roses and tree 
fruits under glass or in the open, forci¬ 
ble spraying is quite successful if thor¬ 
oughly carried out. Daily syringing in 
sunny weather is the order in every well- 
conducted glasshouse containing plants of 
sufficiently resistant foliage, but with a 
succession of dull days and with such 
tender-leaved subjects as cucumbers, 
melons, violets and even grapes, the 
shower-bath treatment is anything but 
satisfactory where severe infection exists. 
Treatment with Insecticides. — As 
Red spider is a biting insect, gnawing 
with its minute jaws into the substance 
of the leaf, it would seem that internal 
poisons like the arsenicals would form 
practical antidotes, and, indeed, we get 
many rather mysterious hints from 
abroad, where the pest has long been seri¬ 
ous in gardens as well as greenhouses, 
that Paris-green is an all-sufficient cure 
“when sprayed on at the proper strength” 
for diverse plants. Tt is claimed Euro¬ 
pean cultivators no longer fear this pest 
since the Paris-green treatment has been 
perfected. Possibly their chemicals are 
better than ours, as our many personal 
trials of the Paris-green cure have resulted 
in more blistered foliage than injured 
spiders. We certainly have not learned 
the proper “strength” for soft-leaved 
plants under our conditions. 
As to Fumigation. —It was thought 
during early trials of hydrocyanic gas 
that a practical remedy for Red spider 
in glasshouses had been found. It was 
particularly advocated for use in violet 
growing establishments, but it was soon 
found that though the insects were 
numbed for many hours by the gas few 
were killed unless the percentage of gas 
to air was raised above the safety limit 
of plant foliage under glass, which is not 
far from the amount released by the de¬ 
composition of 2*4 ounces potassium 
cyanide for each 1,000 cubic feet of air 
space. Dry fumigations with tobacco 
stems, red pepper and such aromatic ma¬ 
terials do so little good that they are 
negligible in practice. 
Contact Remedies. —The various oily, 
soapy or aromatic sprays, such as solu¬ 
tions of fish-oil soap, fir tree and lemon 
oils and kerosene emulsions have limited 
usefulness under conservatory and door- 
yard conditions, but they are too uncer¬ 
tain and likely to injure foliage to be re¬ 
garded as highly practical remedies. The 
best of this class appears to be sulpho- 
tobacco soap, sold by all seedsmen. It is 
quite a satisfactory antidote for most 
plant-troubling insects when carefully 
used, but by many is regarded as messy 
and unpleasant to handle. 
A Cure at Last. —A really successful 
remedy, however, is found in some of the 
liquid tobacco or nicotine extracts, now 
fairly numerous on the market. They may 
he used cither by vaporization over heat, 
directly with steam pressure or by spray¬ 
ing cold dilutions in water. They are 
rather costly and must be handled with 
care, as they are particularly deadly in¬ 
ternal poison to humans as well as 
animals, but are effective when used ac¬ 
cording to directions and little harmful 
to even the most delicate plants. Our 
experience has chiefly been with Thomp¬ 
son’s Rose nicotine, manufactured in De¬ 
troit, Mich. When sprayed in the proper 
dilution, which is quickly made by stir¬ 
ring in cold water, it does not fail to 
clear out the pest, acting probably both 
as a contact and internal poison. It ap¬ 
pears to destroy eggs as well as active 
insects and thus far has caused no per¬ 
ceptible injury even to sensitive foliage. 
It is, of course, effective on less resistant 
insects, such as aphids, thrips and scales. 
Tt does not promise much as regards 
White fly or outdoor scales, but we have 
good remedies for these pests in hydrocy¬ 
anic gas and soluble oils. w. v. F. 
“Pa,” asked a juvenile interrogation 
point, “what do folks mean when they 
talk about tainted money?” Th'e rural 
philosopher removed from his mouth the 
straw be had been chewing reflectively 
and made answer: “They mean mostly 
by tainted money that ’tain’t theirn.”— 
Credit Lost. 
Gas and Gasoline Engines 
Stationary, 
and Portable 
SEE STATE 
FAIR EXHIBIT 
W. D. DUNNING, 
331 W. Water St. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 
$60 
GILSON MFG. CO. 
GOES LIKE SIXTY 
SELLS LIKE SIXTY^ 
SELLS FOR SIXTY 
GILSON 
GASOLENE 
NGINE 
Pumping, Cream 
Churns, Wash Ma- 
FEEE TBIAL 
catalog all sizes 
114 Fuk St. Pott Washington, Wis. 
Gasoline 
Engines 
Fewest Parts. Uses 
Least Fuel. 
Catalogue FREE. 
C. H. CANFIELD, 
114 So. Satina St.. 
Syracuse, New York 
Your Paint—and 
Your Painter’s Paint 
Z2 
F 
If you employ a modern progressive painter, you will find that he is 
just as much interested in economy in the use of paint, and in the beauty 
and wearing quality of the paint after it is applied, as you are. 
For the houses he has painted that show paint-quality as well as 
painter-workmanship are his best advertisements. 
The modern painter has neither time nor desire to mix his own paints. 
He will quickly agree with you that 
Lowe Brothers 
“High Standard” Paint 
Gi*)es "Best 'Results 
"The Little 
Blue Flag" 
—because It contains just the materials required for perfect paint efficiency, mixed and 
ground by powerful, perfectly adjusted machinery, until there is a perfect union of solids 
and liquids—more particles to the gallon than any other paint. 
This means greatest covering power, spreading capacity, beauty, 
wearing quality, economy. “HIGH STANDARD” PAINT is sealed 
in air-tight cans—always fresh and good. 
There is a Lowe Brothers Paint for every use, and a Lowe Brothers 
dealer in nearly every town. Write us for nearest dealer's name and 
our practical book, “Paint and Painting.” Mailed free. 
The Lowe Brothers Company, 450-456 Third St., Dayton, O. 
Paintmakers Varnishmakers 
New York Chicago Kansas City 
— Your •&> 
Protection. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
ipractical 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¬ 
menting. Large fully illustrated Catalog and 
Treatise on spraying FREE. 
MORRILL & M0RI.EY. Benton Harbor, Mich. 
HURST SPRAYER on FREE TRIAL 
No Money in Advance— pay when convenient. 
The “FITZ-ALL" fits-on -any -barrel or tank. 
Sprays all solutions. Proven best and most 
durable. Guaranteed 5 Years, ilrnss Hall 
Valves, Cylln.ier, Plunger, etc. Strainer I'lenn- 
erand 8 A Haters. 200 lb. pressure. A boy 
can operate it. After trial if you keep it—pay 
when you can. Wholesale Price where no 
agent—Ajr«*nis Wanted. Special Free OHVr for 
firsi in each locality. “Spraying Guide" and 
full information FREE. Wrlietodav. 
H. L. HURST MFC COi, 
6 North St., Canton, O. 
FERTILIZER LIME.SSi 
WALTON QIIAKIUKS, Harrisburg, Fa. 
It will priy yon to spray yonr 
■A Rsll BY Fruit Treujai.il Vines tor protec- 
^ tjif Q I tion from Soule and all insect 
I\ ■ posts and fungus diseases. FULL 
H Instruction Hook BhowBthe 
famous Garlleld, Empire Kins, Orchard 
Monarch and other sprayers; also gives a lot 
of formulas and other valuable information. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO.. No. 2 IIth St.. Elmira. N. Y. 
Farmers Take Notice. 
The time will soon be here when you 
will have your ensilage to cut, and your 
threshing to do. Be prepared and be 
sure you have on your premises one of our 
AIR-COOLED 
GASOLINE ENGINES 
They are reliable and require no 
expert to handle them. 
Write now for futher information. 
Our prices will astonish you, and our 
goods will please you. 
THE AIR-COOLED MOTOR CO., 
BOSTON OFFICE, 
21 South Market Street. 
E. A. SHICPHERD, Eastern Sales Mg'r. 
Factory, Lansing, Mich. 
LOOK US UP AT SYRACUSE. 
IT WILL PAY YOU if at all interested in Gasoline Engines 
to spend some time at our Exhibit, as we will have all sizes of our engi .es 
in actual operation, running machinery under ordinary farm conditi ns. 
SEEING IS BELIEVING and we propose to demonstrate the 
superiority of our Engines for farm purposes, so that every one attending, 
can investigate their merits in person. 
We hope to r. eet all our old friends and many new ones at our great 
State Fair this Fall. Again we say, 
BE SURE AND LOOK US UP. 
THE MAXWELL & FITCH CO., Rome, N. Y. 
-Quick Work at the Silo 
No delay—no annoyance—a saving of time and money, if you have our outfit 
THE Abenaque Gasoline Engine 
THE Papec Pneumatic 
Cutter. 
The cutter of best modern type; elevates into any silo 
and requires the least power. Abenaque Engines (suited 
ed for all farm work) can be set anywhere In any posi¬ 
tion, and run without foundation or bolting down. 
Economical in fuel—entirely dependable. 
We make farm engines from 2 to25 II. P.; specialsawing outfits, hay presses, etc. 
Get prices and CatalogueO. 
ABENAQUE MACHINE WORKS. WESTMINSTER STATIONi VEjrMONL 
The STODDARD IDEAL 
1*5 H. P. Gasoline Engine. 
& & & 
The IDEAL power for light farm work. Fitted 
with 4 inch or 6 inch friction clutch pulley for 
running hand separators. Futher information and 
prices given by request. Agents wanted. 
STODDARD MFG. CO.. Rutland, Vt. 
