1900. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
193 
A NEW TRACTION DITCHER. 
At Fig. 72, page 190, is shown a new 
form of power ditcher which has been 
doing excellent work in some sections 
where the soil is fit. The picture will 
quickly show how the machine operates 
_the wheel with cutting buckets scoop¬ 
ing out the ditch and depositing the 
earth where it can be taken away. Last 
year we showed a form of ditcher used 
in draining the Jersey marshes. In this 
a solid cake of soil was lifted out at 
each stroke of the big spade. This 
form of machine worked only on the 
marsh where the soil was wet and soggy 
and held together like cheese. The 
ditcher shown at Fig. 72 will work on 
any soil, as the earth is lifted out in 
the buckets. There would probably be 
trouble in soil which contains large 
stones. This machine has been at work 
at Cornell, where many farmers have 
studied. One New York farmer writes 
us that his son saw the ditcher at work 
and wrote home to tell father that in¬ 
stead of an auto he would like that 
ditcher. We are very glad that prac¬ 
tical ditching machines are being put in 
operation. There is great need' of them, 
for thousands of acres are undrained, 
and hence give only half the returns 
they might. As farmers we are spend¬ 
ing too much time and money on soils 
that are not well fitted through lack of 
drainage. 
Apples and Pears in Canada. 
T. C. /?., Owen Sound, Canada .—Will Mr. 
Van Deumn tell us whether the King David 
apple seems IikTdy to do well East? lias it 
shown any faults of foliage, weakness of 
growth, scabbiness or malformation of fruit 
or lack of color or flavor? Similarly also 
the Winterstein and the Wismcr. Why 
does not Mother apple come to the front 
if it has the excellence attributed to it 
by a very reliable firm in western New 
York? I have specimens of all of these, 
but too young yet to satisfy my doubts so 
as to warrant me in setting out largely. 1 
am resolved only to set out those of best 
quality, believing they will in the end carry 
(lie market. Grimes Golden has delighted 
me—bearing every year and utterly defeat¬ 
ing Spy, Greening, Baldwin, King, Ontario 
and Fameuse in amount of crop, while the 
quality is supreme. Now if it were only 
red ! I had over five barrels on one 20- 
year-old tree of Grimes this year that had 
got into very bad condition with Oyster-shell 
scale during my absence for several years. 
In pears, Clapp’s Favorite and Winter 
Nells yield about the best, but I think I 
find most profit in Louise Bonne de Jer¬ 
sey, as it comes into bearing so early, is of 
excellent quality, ships well and bears all 
its size will stand (on quince roots). But 
we want a good early pear. Wilder is too 
small. What about Koonee? I am ex¬ 
ceedingly attracted to it by reports but 
want some definite account by a fruit 
grower as well as the nurserymen. 
Axs.—The King David apple is very 
new but is making an excellent record 
so far as I have seen it or heard from 
it in many sections, both east and west. 
Just what it will do along the northern 
border of the apple growing regions I 
do not know, but I .think it worthy of 
trial there. I believe it will do well 
where Grimes succeeds, and the inquirer 
is very well pleased with the behavior 
of that most excellent variety at his 
place, which is far up in Canada. I 
have this Winter seen and tasted some 
lof the most delicious King David ap¬ 
ples that anyone would want to taste, 
and their bright red appearance was very 
attractive. I believe that it is a mate of 
Grimes, with a brilliant red skin, and 
I hope this will prove true. If so, it 
is a gem—yes, a pure ruby. It has 
no special faults of tree or foliage, so 
far as I know, and the fruit is of fair 
size, good tehape and is (otherwise 
normal. 
Winterstein is one of Luther Bur¬ 
bank’s vaiieties and resembles Graven- 
stein very closely, of which it is a seed¬ 
ling. It is later in season, but I am not 
sure that it is a really good Winter 
apple. Flowever, it is worthy of trial. 
Wismer is a small, red-striped apple 
of very good quality. Just how it be¬ 
haves in the orchard I do not know. 
About Mother, I wemld say, in reply to 
the query about it, that being a sweet 
apple, it has never been considered of 
any special merit for market, but where 
sweet apples are desired it is one of 
the best. Its season is late Fall and 
early Winter, and by putting in cold 
storage, may be kept until Spring in 
good condition. Being very handsomely 
colored with rich red stripes, over a 
yellow ground, the fruit is very attrac¬ 
tive, and the flavor is exceedingly rich 
and satisfying. 
The Koonee pear is early but not 
high in quality. I do not think it is 
of any great merit, but may be profit¬ 
able for market. I have not grown it, 
and wish to hear from those who have 
tried ft sufficiently to report. 
II. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Planting Crops Close Together. 
S. n. O., Warren, Mass. —I am desirous 
of setting out a peach and apple orchard 
this Spring—peaches 15 feet apart each 
way, apples 40 to 45 feet. Would it be 
injurious to the growth of the trees to 
plant in the centre of the space between 
the trees strawberry plants and between 
the strawberry plants and the trees, garden 
truck such as peas, beans, etc., no high 
growing plants such as corn. I cannot 
very well spare the land for the time it 
would take for the fruit trees to come into 
bearing. I have manured the piece 
(formerly a hay field) heavily and intend 
to plow and set the trees as soon as 
weather and soil will permit. Will it be a 
good idea to use commercial fertilizer 
also? If so, how much and what kind? 
Ans. —This problem of planting crops 
close together means that you must sup¬ 
ply moisture, plant food and labor for 
all. We have often tried this plan and 
seen it tried by others. While fair crops 
can be grown you cannot expect to get 
large crops of all. You cannot get as 
large crops of peaches and potatoes 
when they are grown together as you 
could if they were grown separately. 
The strawberry, in particular, demands 
moisture and room. It is not a good 
crop to grow with others. Those who 
have not grown strawberries can hardly 
realize how the plants snread all over 
during July and August and how they 
interfere with other crops growing near 
them. Another objection sometimes 
made is that the late cultivation of the 
crops makes a late growth on the peach 
trees, so that the wood is too tender, and 
is hurt in Winter. Potatoes are bad 
on that account, because the digging 
gives a very late working of the soil. 
We have one place on the farm where 
peach trees, currants, strawberries, and 
early sweet corn are all grown together. 
We give this thorough culture up to 
about August 1 and then, either sow 
clover or let the weeds grow—cutting 
them off with scythe or sickle. In 
your case we should use commercial 
fertilizer in addition to the manure. 
You will be most likely to have trouble 
in keeping the strawberries clean. 
How To Make Appleade. 
T. II., Marlboro, N. Y.—Can you give me 
the recipe of the appleade that is pictured 
on page 41 ? I fail to see it in the Cook 
Book. 
Ans. —Wipe off or wash a few tart 
apples; slice them up, removing the 
cores. Pour cold water over them and 
let stand until the juice and flavor are 
extracted, when the water .is poured off 
and sweetened if desired. Drink as you 
would lemonade. The stalks of rhubarb 
also make a very pleasant and healthful 
drink if prepared in the same way. An¬ 
other drink that we are verv fond of 
is currantade, which is made as fol¬ 
lows: Mash some currants, if you have 
no fruit press, and put in cold water; 
let stand for a short time, then strain 
and sweeten to taste. If the drinks 
are preferred hot, heat after making. 
MRS. W. H. JENKINS. 
“For the Land’s Sake use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it. Write Bowker Fer¬ 
tilizer Co., Boston, New York, or Buf¬ 
falo, who make attractive propositions 
to farmers who will act as agents. 
Illustrated catalogue free.”— Adv. 
“A Horticultural Gem of use and beauty ,”—for fruit and ornament, 
it should be the first tree planted in every garden. 
Perfectly hardy, of upright, vigorous growth, with the most brilliant 
reddish-purple foliage; a prolific bearer, fruit deep crimson about one inch 
in diameter, ripening before the earliest of ordinary plums. 
We offer this wonderful new Tree with its double use, to the public, 
thi's Spring of 1909 for the first time; Vaughan’s Seed Store owning and 
controlling the original Tree from Luther Burbank. 
Our new 160 page catalogue of Seeds and Plants with beautiful color 
plate of Othello Plum, mailed free if you have a garden. 
Special Prepaid Prices. 
Each 3 for 
Size A-5 feet S2.25 $6.00 
Size D-2J4 feet $1.25 $3.00 
re 
TREE ^/CATALOG 
84*86 Randolph St. CHICAGO 
or 14 Barclay Street, NEW YORK. 
SOW DIBBLE’S SEED OATS 
-A-3STXD 
DOUBLE YOUR OAT CROP 
The Government Crop Report for December, gives the average yield for New York, 1908 as 30 bushels 
per acre. Our crop, 135 acres in 1908, produced between 8,000 and 9,000 bushels or over TWICE the average 
for the Stato. E. D. Rogers, Burlington Co., N. J. writes: "Your oats yielded 00 bushels per acre. They 
can’t be beat.” Louis Robert, Tolland Co., Conn, says: "Oats perfectly satisfactory. Weighed 39 lbs. per 
bushel.” A. L. Heile, Alio. Co.,*Pa., reports: “Yield double that of the other kinds we have here, weighs 
nearly 40 lbs. per bushel.” Frank Warner, Livingston Co., N. Y.: "One measured acre from 2ks bushels 
produced nearly 100 bushels of fine oats.” Our oats are early, have stiff straw free from rust, are enor¬ 
mously productive and thoroughly recleaned. Price, 2>e bushel bag, $2.25; 10 bushels. $8; 100 bushels or 
over 75 cents per bushel, bags included. Our catalog, the leading Farm Seed Book of the year, describ¬ 
ing the Best Seed Potatoes, Corn, Oats, Clover and Grass seeds that grow, with liberal samples FREE. 
EDWARD F. I JIB HTjiil, Sccdgi’owor 
HONEOVE FALLS, N. Y. Box C. Over 1200 acres in our Seed Farms. 
Burpee, Philadelphia 
written on the tront of a postal card 
and your own address on the back 
. _ will bring you a copy of The Leading 
American Seed Catalog—provided you intend to have a garden this season. A book of 174 
pages, with colored plates painted from Nature. It tells the plain truth about The Best 
Seeds that Grow. We have the largest 
Mail-ordqj Seed Trade in the World 
and it is sufficient to address simply 
m nuiuic. n tens me piain trutn aoout me Best 
Burpee, Philadelphia 
[ 
at ONE-HALF 
City Seedsmen Prices ! 
Let us send you our catalog of seeds—It’s 
i tells you facts, and why we can save you money, and give yoi r a guaranteed 
bQUARE DEAL. Just drop a postal today and see the difference in buying your seeds in 
country or city. FORREST SEED CO., Box 34, Cortland, N. Y. 
S5. QQ per XOO 
AND UP. FREIGHT PREPAID 
Send for Free Catalogue that describes over 400 Varieties and tells 
how two Rural New-Yorker readers found we were reliable 
W. P. RUPERT £» SON, 
1 , 000,000 
Strawberry Plants 
Seneca, New York 
Large stock of thrifty, young plants from the 
famous “Heritage” strain Prolific bearer. 
Also Trees. Vines. California Privet. Aspara¬ 
gus Roots, Garden Tools, Spray Pumps, etc. 
Catalogue Free. Write tc-day. 
Arthur J. Collins, Box It, Moorestown.N.J. 
$ 6.50 
SPECIAL VALUES 50 PLUMS \ 
__FOR 80 DAYS 50 CHERRIES f 
Beautiful well formed, well rooted 2 year trees, 3^ to 5 ft. Your choice delivered to all New England 
s * * v, * 1 a -» Ohio, Mich., Ind., and Ill. Many other attractive offers in our complete 
catalog it is tree. Hundreds of Rural readers are familiar, by test, with the values we have offered 
through these columns for nearly a quarter of a century. Established 1847. 
H. S. WILEY & SON, Box 13, Cayuga, New York. 
ARDY Fruit and Ornamental Trees 
“ SHRUBS, SMALL FRUIT PLANTS, Grapevines, etc. 
Grand lot of Peach and other Fruit Trees. We aim to give satisfaction. Send for Catalogue 
Add mss, T. B. WEST, Lock Box 287, Maple Bend Nursery, Perry, Ohio. 
Patterson’s 
Patterson 
SPECIAL 
Business prices for the hustling orchardist, our 
HEALTHY STCJCK 250,000 PEACH TREES c SaS c es l 
fully described in handsome, free FltUIT Catalogue. 
3Mu.rsery Co. Stcwartstown, Pa. 
PEACH TREES--BERRY PLANTS 
forty vai'ietios of strawberry plants: a book brimful of good tilings: write for it. 
BARNES BROS. NURSERY COMPANY, Box S, Vs 
Our New 1909 Catalog Just Out. 
An invaluable handbook to the in¬ 
tending planter. The best varieties 
of Peaches and other fruit trees and 
how to grow them successfully. Over 
alesville. Conn. 
