426 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 17, 
Ruralisms 
Low-Quality Navel Oranges. — It 
was reported some weeks ago that 
seven of the leading hotels in New 
York City, owing to complaints of 
guests, had discontinued the use of Cal¬ 
ifornia-grown navel oranges, substitut¬ 
ing therefor (he juicy and well-flavored 
oranges so liberally supplied this sea¬ 
son from Florida. The California 
fruits were criticized as too dry and 
tasteless. Patrons of these great and 
expensive hotels demand the highest 
quality of viands that can be procured, 
and buyers are ever on the alert for 
the best the market afifords. An ex¬ 
planation of the poor quality is that 
considerable quantities of the finest- 
appearing navels were frosted before 
picking, resulting in loss of juice and 
flavor without other distinguishable de¬ 
fects. There was unusual cold in the 
California navel districts about the rip¬ 
ening season, and it may be that 
oranges were shipped East that should 
not have been put on the market, but 
there is a growing suspicion that the 
eating quality of the California navel 
orange, even at its best, will not bear 
comparison with the choicer seed-con¬ 
taining varieties from Florida. For 
the first, since the calamitous freeze of 
1894 that all but annihilated the east¬ 
ern orange industry, ,we have had 
Florida oranges enough to supply fully 
the principal eastern markets. They 
have been so satisfactory that the seed¬ 
less navels were barely salable, notwith¬ 
standing their great size and fine ap¬ 
pearance, and in fact were not offered 
in quality until the Florida crop was 
practically sold out. The commercial 
qualities of the navel orange are admi¬ 
rable. It is an excellent shipper and a 
good keeper under ordinary conditions 
of handling and exposure for sale. 
Dealers and peddlers much prefer it 
to others, but consumers have grown 
restless as regards its generally insipid 
flavor, and discriminate in favor of the 
more palatable kinds when they may 
be had. As the navels are long keepers 
they are now held until the Floridas 
are cleaned up and only the Mediter¬ 
ranean imports remain to be competed 
with. Occasionally navels are juicy and 
pleasant enough to be compared to the 
best eastern fruits but, on the whole 
the variety as grown in the Pacific coast 
region is likely to rank with the Kief- 
fer pear, the Ben Davis apple, the El- 
berta peach and the Concord grape- 
all good shippers and cheaply produced., 
but of ordinary or inferior quality. 
Principally a Western Fruit — 
The Bahia or navel orange is almost 
exclusively grown in the warmer por¬ 
tions of California, where the tree is 
productive and vigorous. When intro¬ 
duced 30 years ago by the U. S. De¬ 
partment of Agriculture buds and scions 
were distributed throughout the various 
orange producing localities of the coun¬ 
try. Great hopes were entertained of 
it in Florida, but it turned out a shy 
bearer near the Atlantic and Gulf 
coasts, but an excellent producer in 
California, and is consequently little 
planted in the East. During the long 
period of scarcity of Florida oranges 
it has increasingly dominated the mar¬ 
kets when in season, but may now meet 
its Waterloo unless the quality im¬ 
proves. or another Arctic wave puts the 
eastern orchards out of business. In 
its native home in the highlands back 
of Bahia, Brazil, the seedless navel 
orange is of very good quality. The 
writer recalls the flavor of this distinct 
variety as sold in Brazilian coast cities 
many years ago, as particularly agree¬ 
able in contrast to the ordinary local 
oranges, which, however, were generally 
lacking in sprightliness. California 
conditions of climate and culture have 
certainly not improved it. 
An Acceptable New Orange. —A new 
orange of great promise so distinct in 
character as almost to rank as a species 
rather than a mere variety, is the King, 
now appearing in fair numbers in fancy 
markets. It is nearer the Mandarin or 
kid-glove than the ordinary sweet- 
orange type, but possesses features not 
found in either. The fruits average 
large, flat in form, and are dark in 
color, with very rough and warty rind, 
which clings to the flesh more closely 
than in the Mandarin or Tangarines, but 
less so than with ordinary oranges. It 
has a peculiar and agreeable odor. The 
flesh is tender, sweet and richly fla¬ 
vored, with abundance of deeply col¬ 
ored and sirupy juice. These oranges 
are so good in quality that they sell for 
better prices than others, notwithstand¬ 
ing their rather forbidding appearance. 
The trees are thorny, rather tender and 
slow in growth, and the seeds quite 
numerous, but the rich flavor overbal¬ 
ances these defects, so that the variety 
is likely to grow in commercial import¬ 
ance. 
Succeeds in Florida ; Fails in Cali¬ 
fornia. —This very distinct orange was 
introduced to America cultivation about 
the year 1880, through the enterprise of 
a California woman, Mrs. S. R. Magee, 
of Riverside, who imported fruits, 
seeds and later trees from Saigon, Co¬ 
chin China. It has failed to attain com¬ 
mercial importance in California, but 
thrives exceedingly well in the warmer 
parts of Florida, and when grown so 
as to be reasonably free from sunburn 
and thorn scars brings the highest 
prices of any Citrus fruit in northern 
markets. Growers have undertaken to 
breed out the excessive thorniness of 
the tree, its greatest defect, by contin¬ 
uous bud selection from the smoothest 
wood, and with some appearance of 
success. 
A Potato “Picture Postal.” —The 
picture postal-card craze that started 
in Germany a few years ago has 
spread all over the world, assuming 
incredible proportions. Uncounted mil¬ 
lions pass through the mails, becoming 
a serious burden to post office em¬ 
ployees during the holiday season. Al¬ 
though carried to absurdity, like all 
fads of the day, there are included 
highly useful and educational features 
that may long survive. Every hamlet 
now has its local picture postals, con¬ 
venient for mailing, that illustrate it? 
scenic, social and industrial advan¬ 
tages in great detail. Too many locali¬ 
ties are content with showing resi¬ 
dences of leading merchants or bank¬ 
ers as their star features, but occa¬ 
sionally one gets down to the actual 
soil—the source of all real prosperity. 
In Fig. 176, page 417. we have a truth¬ 
ful representation of one of the many, 
productive potato fields • near Free¬ 
hold, Monmouth Co., N. J., where the 
local potato industry represents an an-, 
nual output of three-quarters of a mil¬ 
lion dollars in value. The yields in good 
years quite closely run toward 100 
barrels (three bushels each) to the 
acre, and this is frequently exceeded. 
Good level loamy soil, a mild climate,' 
clean expert cultivation, free use of 
locally-mixed chemical fertilizers and 
accessible markets are the conditions 
that have led up to this flourishing in¬ 
dustry. The only criticism that can 
well be made concerning Freehold po¬ 
tatoes is the low quality of the variety 
generally raised. The great tubers so 
thickly strewn along the upturned 
rows in the illustration are Summer or 
August Giants —i large, fair (and 
shapely, but lacking in good potato 
flavor. They readily sell, however, for 
good prices, going to all principal east¬ 
ern markets, but are more especially 
consumed by foreign miners in Penn¬ 
sylvania, who find them about as good 
as potatoes they were accustomed to 
in central and southern Europe. High 
quality potatoes are produced to some 
extent about Freehold for local use. 
but the great specialty that enables it 
to hold the attention of large markets 
is _ the production of these fair¬ 
skinned Giants. w. v. f. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
It. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.’’ See guarantee page 16. 
Niagara Brand 
Products 
Unsurpassed for— 
Convenience, Economy 
and Effectiveness • 
Niagara Lime Sulphur Solution— 
For Sucking Insects and Fungus. Better than 
any other Spray material. 
Niagara Arsenate of Lead— Kills Bugs, 
Beetles, Caterpillars, Etc. 
Niagara Bordeaux Arsenate —Insecti¬ 
cide and Fungicide Combined—beats all sum¬ 
mer sprays. 
Niagara Tree Borer Paint —Controls 
Borers absolutely. 
Niagara Gas Sprayer's—Built in 7 styles. 
Send for descriptive catalogues, prices, etc., FREE. 
Niagara Sprayer Co • 
Middleport, N. V. 
*93120 MORE 
PROfl 
PER 
ACRE 
That’s what the New York Experiment Station 
reports as a lOyear average Gain by Spraying 
potatoes. (238 bu. at 40c per bu.) Don’t let blight, 
scab rot, and bugs cut your crop in half— but get 
a HURST Sprayer and make Rig Money 
out of your Potatoes or fruit. Spray First, then 
if you buy Fay Us Out of the “Extra 
Profit.’’ These sprayers SPRAY ANY- 
THING, potatoes, orchards, vineyards, truck, (4 
to 6 rows at a time). “Man-Power and Horse 
Power.’’ Powerful pressure. Easy on man and 
horse. Strong-and-duruble, Brass valves, plun- 1 
ger, strainer, etc. Guaranteed for 5 Years, 
Shipped on Free Trial 
without-a-cent in-advance. No bank deposit, “no 
strings” to our trial offer. Wholesale Prices. 
Wo pay Freight, Write us a letter or card and 
tell us which machine you 
are interested in,and you’ll 
get free our valuable 
Spraying Guide — Catalog 
—and our Special Free 
Offer to First in each 
locality this season. Re 
First to write us. 
H. L. HURST NIFG.E0., 
49 North St., Canton, Ohio 
The Deyo Power Sprayer 
The original. Others have copied. Our 3 h. p. air¬ 
cooled engine easily detached and used for other 
work. No Experiment. Seven Years of Suc¬ 
cess, Ask the user. Our air-cooled complete 
power spray outfit $196.0(1. Write for catalogue 19 
and our liberal proposition. 
R. H. Deyo & Co., Binghamton, N. Y. 
OR RAPID, EASY SPRAYING^ i 
‘‘Auto-Pop” NOZZLE. G 
Slight pressure on lever starts dense V 
spray. Automatic shut-off. Doubles ca¬ 
pacity. Saves solution, time, labor. 
INCREASE THE CROPS 
by using the “Auto-Pop” nozzle on the 
“Auto-Spray” pump Write for factory 
prices, spraying guide and agency offer. 
E.C.Brown Co., 28 J.yst.. RGchester.N.T. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump 1earn9 
big profits and lasts for years. 
"THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
practical fruit grow- 
\ ers we were using common 
s sprayers in our own orchards 
: —found their defects and 
i invented the Eclipse. Its 
)! success forced us to manu¬ 
facturing on a larp 2 scale. 
You take no chances. We 
have done all the experi¬ 
menting. Large fully illustrated Catalog 
and Treatise on spraying FREE. 
MORRILL & MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
Save Your Plants From Bugs 
Don’t have your tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, or 
other vegetables ruined this season. Spray the 
plants early and often with a solution of 
Good’s c whiie P oM ,h Soap No. 3 
Sure death to nil Insects and parasites. Not Injurious to 
trees or plants. Fertilizes and quickens growth.Endorsed by 
U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
60 lbs. $2..10; 100 lbs. $4.60; larger 
quantities proportionately less. 
James Good, Original Maker, 945 No. Front St.,Phila. 
! Take-Off YouF 
Hat to the 
The only Glass Valve Pump—never 
sticks — never fails — always ready. 
Also HAY TOOLS, Barn Door 
Hangers, Hay Rack Clamps. 
Write today for Circulars and Prices. 
F.H. Myers & Bro., ISOrange8t, Ashland,O. 
THE 
PUMP 
THAT 
PUMPS 
IT PATS TO SPRAT 
The Iron Age 4-row Sprayer gives 
perfect satisfaction. Puts solution. 
I u4t where needed and in fog-like 
mist. Pump delivers spray under 
high pressure, thus reaching every 
part ofvine, effectuallykilliug huge 
and preventing blight. Has 
Orchard Spraying attach¬ 
ment. Write for free 
catalog illustrat¬ 
ing this and 
other Iron 
Ago tools. 
Nozzle Strainer 
Prevents Clogging 
BATEMAN MFG. CO., Box 102-S. 
GRENL0CH, N. J. 
AGRICULTURAL 
OR 
FERTILIZING SALT. 
Write for prices. 
THE ONONDAGA COARSE SALT ASS’N., 
Syracuse, - New York. 
A WONDERFUL INVENTION 
CLARK’S ^s^DOUBLE ACTION*COM- 
B1NED CULTI¬ 
VATOR AND 
HARROW, can he 
used to cultivate 
crops in rows, as a 
Listing Harrow, 
and when closed 
together is a Disk 
— Harrow cutting 4*2 
feet wide. Drawn by two medium horses. 
Jointed pole. Perfect centre draft. A labor 
saver. Send today for FREE Booklet. 
CUTAWAY HARROW C0.,»3» A Maln St„ Hlgganum, Ct, 
Air Cooled Engine 
NEW YORK MAN SAYS “IT’S A DANDY.” Guaranteed 
Youngs, Delaware Co., N. Y., Feb. 8, 1909. 
Gentlemen: — 
The ‘‘NEW WAY ” AIR COOLED ENGINE proves to 
be a dandy. I have run it every day since October on 
my fodder cutter and have sawed wood also. It has 
lots of power and is always ready the minute you 
want it. Yours truly, 
A. L. Bartlett. 
ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE. 
Write us for TnF ~HewW&x 'ManRCowwrr 
Catalog- No. .3. Unsme. Michisah.U.S.A 
For All Work 
140 SHERIDAN ST. 
Empire King. 
He who attempts to grow fruits without a Sprayer is handi- 
capped. Blight and bugs, rot and rust, mold and mildew, all 
_ conspire to damage the crop, and in all cases succeed if the farmer does 
_ not spray. This is the only hand pump having automatic agitator and brush for clean¬ 
ing strainer. Valuable book of instruction free. FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 2 llTH Sr., ELMIRA, N. Y. 
The simplest, strongest and most powerful sprayer. Can be 
from horse to hand power without any trouble. Easy to work. Will 
spray upper and under side of leaf; mixture can be di¬ 
rected at any angle. Send for our new book—FREE 
and see how you can increase your profits 25 to 50 per 
cent.—how you cau spray thirty acres of potatoes, 
cotton or vegetables in a day. 
THOMAS PEPPLER, Box 45, Hlg h«8<owrL^LJ^^^ |a 
