1900. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
865 
CUT FLOWERS IN NEW YORK. 
I bloomed nearly 15,000 Gladiolus. 
They seemed very beautiful to me. I 
shipped 720 to New York City, which 
only sold for $2. It discouraged me, 
of course. It seems a pity that I should 
let these flowers go to waste. I believe 
there are thousands in New York who 
would pay a fair price for them, but 
dealers ask a certain price and will not 
sell for less even if they have a sur¬ 
plus. L. J. FARMER. 
Oswego County, N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—The flower dealers made 
the following returns and comment: 
Sales. $2.00 
Commission.30 
1.70 
Express. $1.96 
Express cost as much as the flowers. Do 
not send any more Gladioli. They are not 
tlie right kind. If you have any nice Asters 
would like to receive some. 
August is the dead time with New 
York florists, when there is little work 
except funeral orders. Outdoor flow¬ 
ers come from nearby growers in quan¬ 
tity, and sell for very low prices. Mr. 
Farmer does not say what his flowers 
were—probably a mixed lot—but 
bright colored sorts would 'be bought 
only for window-dressing, at very low 
prices. The pale colors are used in 
design work. The commission man 
says they were not the right kind. The 
price quoted for Gladiolus all Summer 
has been from 50 cents to $2 per 100, 
but the latter price would only mean 
very choice spikes of select kinds. It 
is quite impossible for a man as far 
away as Mr. Farmer to ell ordinary 
grades of outdoor flowers here. Fur¬ 
thermore, the market for -such flowers 
is limited by circumstances. The im¬ 
pression that thousands of people would 
care to buy such flowers is erroneous. 
The average New Yorker is not a 
flower lover. He •buvs roses, carnations, 
violets, etc., but the garden flowers 
meet with little favor except when 
made up by the florist, or in occasional 
sales by stree** venders at very modest 
prices. 
Destroying Dandelions. 
W. J. S., Albion, N. Y.—l think I saw 
an advertisement in The R. N.-Y. of some¬ 
thing to kill dandelions, but cannot find 
it now. Is it any good? I have been 
digging them in my strawberry bed all 
Summer, and plenty left yet. 
Ans.— Wihat you saw was probably 
advice to use a solution of sulphate of 
iron on the dandelions. Professor Olive, 
of the South Dakota Station, says a spray 
of the iron sulphate (20 per cent solu¬ 
tion), will kill young plants with one 
application; large, strong plants need 
three or four sprayings. A freshly 
mown lawn is likely to be hurt by the 
spray and White clover is usually in¬ 
jured by it. If the dandelions are in 
your strawberry bed we should go slow¬ 
ly before spraying it all over, as the 
sulphate of iron may injure the straw¬ 
berry vines. Try it in a small scale. 
Another method of killing dandelions 
is to cut off the top and pour kerosene 
on the root. 
Training Grapevines. 
It., Quaker Hprinys, 'N. Y .—Tell mo how 
to train grapevines to posts and wires. 
What about Summer pruning? 
Ans. —The State Department of Agri¬ 
culture, Harrisburg, Pa., has a very use¬ 
ful bulletin on “Grape Culture’’ which 
discusses training. Training to posts 
without wires is not popular in regions 
endeavoring to secure the largest yields. 
It is best adapted to weak-growing 
varieties, but Concord, Niagara and 
other strong-growing sorts need wire 
to support the wood and heavy bunches 
of fruit. Wlhen post training is used, 
the pruning must be much more severe, 
and considerable Summer pruning is 
necessary to control growth. While a 
moderate amount of Summer pruning 
is not harmful,, it is not popular with 
extensive commercial growers, and 
should be avoided if possible. Al¬ 
though I do not favor post training, 
the system has soific advantages. It is 
better suited to the home garden than 
to the large commercial vineyard. There 
are several ways of training to stakes. 
One of the best is to grow and main¬ 
tain a permanent trunk, which is tied 
to the post and may be from four to 
five feet in length. The fruit-bearing 
canes proceed from this trunk, and are 
cut back after the first crop to two or 
three buds and the annual canes are 
cut back to this number of buds every 
year. When the spurs become rather 
long it is often possible to select buds 
near the trunk for the lateral growth, 
and then the spurs may be removed. 
R. L. WATTS. 
AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION IN NEW 
YORK STATE. 
Tart III. 
In addition to tbe above there were 
numerous appropriations made for agri¬ 
cultural purposes as usual, which have 
previously been referred to in these col¬ 
umns. Besides the regular appropriations 
for the State Department of Agriculture, 
State College of Agriculture, State Veter¬ 
inary Callage, State Experiment Station 
and the three agricultural schools and the 
State Fair, there were appropriations for 
new buildings at the State School of Agri¬ 
culture at Alfred, the State School of 
Agriculture at Canton, State Veterinary 
College and the Stade Fair. There was an 
appropriation also of $10,000 to be used 
through the State Experiment Station for 
the Investigation of the grape industry in 
Chautauqua County, where some trouble 
lias lately been causing heavy losses. There 
was also an appropriation of $10,181 to 
reimburse sufferers on account of foot and 
mouth disease in the western part of the 
State. 
The charter of Cornell University was 
amended to provide for the appointment 
by the Governor of five trustees and, rec¬ 
ognizing that the interests of the State 
in Cornell University are principally agri¬ 
cultural, the Governor has appointed men 
of agricultural prominence. Including Mr. 
T. IJ. Wilson, Ontario County, President of 
the Board of Control of the State Experi¬ 
ment Station; A. It. Eastman of Oneida 
Couifty, well known as a farmers’ insti¬ 
tute lecturer some years ago; lion. Fred¬ 
erick C. Stevens, State Superintendent of 
Public Works and noted breeder of horses 
In Wyoming county; John N. Carlisle, a 
lawyer having agricultural Interests, of 
Watertown. The fifth appointtment is Col. 
Henry W. Sackett, of New York city, who 
has long been a valued member of the 
Board of Trustees and whose term ex¬ 
pired last Spring. 
The Legislature left several hundred 
bills, including a number of agricultural 
measures, for the Governor’s action at the 
time of adjournment. It is known that 
the Governor gave personal and very care¬ 
ful consideration to these agricultural 
measures, most of which were approved 
and are now in effect as above, but some 
of which failed to meet with his approval. 
The bill providing for a new building at 
the New York State Experiment Station 
and the bill providing for the investigation 
of the milk business failed, with many 
others carrying appropriations, not neces¬ 
sarily because they were without merit, 
but because it was absolutely necessary to 
cut off many items to keep (he appropria¬ 
tions within the income. The Governor 
had previously expressed his interest in 
remedial measures for the milk business; 
hence his veto of this measure was a sur¬ 
prise to many persons. The veto was 
deemed necessary, however, for the rea¬ 
son stated. 
A bill providing for licensing persons who 
test milk for apportionment of payment 
failed because it was defectively drawn and 
would probably have been declared uncon¬ 
stitutional. Another bill, which would 
have required purchasers of milk to file 
bonds with the Commissioner of Agricul¬ 
ture to assure payment to their patrons, 
was deemed to contain a requirement in 
violation of the constitution. 
The so-called pure seed bill was de¬ 
fectively drawn. 
The bill requiring labeling of watered 
cheese was objected to so strenuously by 
the interests concerned and some others, 
that tlie Governor vetoed this measure, 
but filed a memorandum expressing his 
approval of its purpose and suggesting that 
it could be framed in better form for 
passage by the Legislature next \V inter. 
Another bill not approved by the Gov¬ 
ernor provided for the participation this 
year of a certain agricultural fair society, 
whereas they would not be able to par¬ 
ticipate in the State fund for another year 
or two under the present law. There 
was very strong opposition to this measure 
from all parts of tin* State. 
Two measures relating to agriculture 
w' ’eh passed one branch of the Legislature 
and failed in the other, relate to the llcens 
ing of dogs ami the inspection of abat¬ 
toirs. 
Send for Our 
New Catalog 
Do Not Think of Buying a 
Gasoline Engine Without It 
The things that should decide you in selecting 
the right engine are : what will it cost to run 
the engine — (1) how much gasoline does it 
use; (2) how many parts are there to get out 
of order; (3) what will the repairs cost; 
(4) will the mixer always work; 
(5) will the gasoline pump get 
out of order; (6) if water is left 
in the engine and it freezes, what 
will have to be replaced ; (7) if 
it is guaranteed, what is the 
guarantee worth. 
THE OLDS ENGINE 
is the most economical engine to run 
G) the gasoline cost is very low because 
the new Seagcr mixer automatically 
makes exactly the right mixture of gas 
and air all the time. 
(2) it is the simplest because it has no 
small delicate parts to get out of adjust¬ 
ment. 
(3 You are guaranteed against buying 
any repairs for one year because wo make 
the following proposition. 
We agree to replace, free of charge, any 
part of an Olds Engine that breaks or 
becomes worn, FROM ANY CAUSE 
WHATSOEVER, within one year from 
date of shipment, provided the replace¬ 
ment is one you think should be borne 
by the manufacturer. YOU ARE TO 
BE THE ONLY JUDGE. There is to 
be no argument, no delay in returning 
old parts ansi getting new ones, you de¬ 
cide and I abide by your decision. 
This makes a big possible saving to you 
the first year when 99 per cent, of your 
troubles would naturally come. 
(4) The Seager mixer has no moving 
parts once adjusted it is adjusted for a 
lifetime. 
Every man has a hobby. Mine is build¬ 
ing engines that, are so good the user will 
want his neighbor to have one. I insist on 
every Olds Engine becoming an Olds sales¬ 
man. 
Anybody can paint a cheap engine to 
look good; I never built cheap goods and 
never will. When I took hold of this busi¬ 
ness my task was easy because I did not 
have to start a new concern. It bad already 
gone through over twenty years of success. 
Tlie Olds engine was a magnificent engine, 
but now it is 100 per cent, better than ever 
before better material; better mixer; 
no gasoline pump; automobile quality 
Cylinder; jump spark ignition—five parts 
only, all of which are stationary—instead 
of thirty moving parts as in tlie old stylo 
igniters; removable valves; simplicity; 
three separate inspections; economy ami 
certainty of operation. 
Every one will be satisfied with an Olds 
Engine—he cannot help it. I care more 
for having a pleased Olds user than I do to 
to sell a large number of engines. Every 
user of an Olds Engine must be satisfied— 
I will not have any other kind of a cus¬ 
tomer. 
I guarantee every Olds Engine to ho in 
perfect running order when it leaves the 
factory. I know the engine you get is all 
right, and that the high Olds standard is 
maintained. It is the best you can buy, 
whether you pay more or less than the 
Olds price. J. B. SEAGER, Gen. Mgr. 
sands of satisfied customers, could not be 
successfully sold for any less than our price. 
The United States Government uses 
them in its military posts, government 
work of spraying ami irrigating, because 
the Glds Engines have stood the most se¬ 
vere tests they could put them to. 
(5) The Olds Type A Engine has no g'uso- 
line pump. The piston sucks the gasoline 
into the mixer automatically. 
(ti) The Olds water jacket is a separate 
casting. In case of freezing this part 
alone can he replaced at slight expense, 
instead of having to buy a whole engine 
bed and cylinder. 
(7) A guarantee is limited by the finan¬ 
cial responsibility of the concern making 
it. Ask your hanker whether wo are good 
for wliat we say. 
There are cheaper engines made that are 
painted just as prettily as ours, and their 
catalogues contain many tempting claims, 
and make many attractive promises, hut 
in spite of all that lias been claimed and 
promised about other gasoline engines 
selling at all kinds of prices, we have been 
making steadily for 30 years an enp.ine that 
has become the standard of the world. 
An engine that is as finely built as the 
Olds, that hasOlds qualityof material ami 
workmanship, backed by our kind of guar¬ 
antee, or with a record of so many tliou- 
J. B. SEAGER, Gen. Mgr. 
Seager Engine Works 
Formerly Olds Gas Power Co. 
Main Office & Factory, 908 Seager St. 
LANSING. MICHIGAN 
Every farmer who requires an engine 
can afford an Olds Engine. It does not pay 
to buy a cheap machine of any kind, and 
the price you pay for an Olds is only a 
slight, tier cent, over what it costs us to 
build them right. We make so many in a 
year we can afford to have our percentage 
of profit small. You are really getting an 
engine of the very highest possible quality 
at the right price. In fact you get all of 
your money’s worth one hundred cents 
worth for every dollar. 
Our catalogue mailed you free tells you 
just what, you should know about an en¬ 
gine. Write for it today before you for¬ 
get it. 
Write mo personally telling mo what 
you want the engine to do, and you will 
get a personal letter from me that will give 
you the facts you want. To save time you 
can write to my nearest representative. 
Olds Gas Power Company Branches 
BOSTON-R. W. Hart.73 Beverly St. 
PHILADELPHIA— 
Mallalieu & Conrey .... 1818 Market St. 
BINGHAMTON. N. Y.— 
R. H. Deyo Ct Co.28 Washington St. 
KANSAS CITY Freeman Field, W. 11th St. 
OMAHA, Neb.--W. S. Weaver.. Farnum St. 
MINNEAPOLIS E. S. Wood.. So. Third St. 
