380 
THE RURAL NEW»YORKER 
March 25. 
STRAWBERRIES IN THE COLD COUNTRY. 
8. S. C., Hardwick, Vt. —I have been 
greatly interested in your articles on straw¬ 
berry growing, and have worked the thing 
out for myself so I think I have fair pros¬ 
pect of success, if it were not for the late 
Spring frosts. They tell me that on this 
account strawberries are not so safe a crop 
here as in sections farther south, but owing 
to the fact that deep freezing of the ground 
and deep snows retard the growth in Spring, 
it seems to me that the time from begin¬ 
ning of growth until danger from frost is 
past, may be no longer here than it is 
farther south, so that the blooming season 
here would he at as safe a time as it is 
anywhere, but 1 have always lived here 
and do not know anything about other 
parts of the country. 
Ans.— There is practically no danger 
of killing strawberry plants by frost in 
Vermont if one is willing to practice 
the most approved methods of mulch¬ 
ing. E. H. Hallett, of Caledonia County, 
has had remarkable success for a series 
of years in growing strawberries. His 
method of mulching is as follows: When 
about six inches of snow has fallen and 
Winter has begun to come on, he then 
puts on quite a heavy mulch of straw or 
coarse manure and allows this to stay 
on all Winter and until late in the 
Spring. This of course means that the 
'strawberries will be frozen into the 
ground and will be kept frozen all Win¬ 
ter long, and by allowing the mulch to 
remain on until quite late in the Spring 
the plants are not allowed to start until 
all danger of late Spring frosts is past. 
M. B. CUMMINGS, 
Vt. Experiment Station. 
FACTS ABOUT JAPAN PLUMS. 
When the first Japan plums began to 
produce fruit here there was a feeling that 
many plums would be grown, and that they 
could be sold very cheap at a profit. Now, 
after 20 years or so of experience, the 
price of plums is very low, but the mar¬ 
ket for them is very limited, and there is 
no fruit of which a small surplus will so 
thoroughly demoralize the market as this, 
especially if poorly grown. As a well- 
known Boston commission house puts it, 
it was the only fruit they could not sell 
at some price on a glutted market. Yet 
some seasons a limited amount can be sold 
at fair profits in our local markets, but 
when peaenes are plenty and cheap the 
market for these plums is quite limited , as 
the fruit stands s-11 prartnaliy nothing ex¬ 
cept California fruit. The list of com¬ 
mercial varieties has changed little from 
earlier years, but} some worthless ones 
have been weeded out, and a few of some 
value have been introduced. 
First (Burbank).—Very early clingstone, 
lightest pink, very juicy, not very good 
quality, has ripened practically all at once 
with me. A tree for home use or a very 
f-w for a local market might pay, but 
think it too soft for a shipping plum. 
Rod .Tune.—By all odds the best early 
plum we have raised, firm flesh and good 
shipper and keeper. 
Abundance.—This has proved one of our 
standbys, one of the best in quality when 
well grown and then sells well as an eating 
plum. 
Burbank.—This plum has done more to 
demoralize the plum trade here than all 
others; in unfavorable weather rots and 
cracks and is often rushed upon the mar¬ 
ket when it gives little satisfaction to 
buyers. I have not grown it for a num¬ 
ber of years. 
Sliiro.—The only greenish white, or yel¬ 
low plum of the Japan class or hybrid I 
have found of any value. Fairly good 
quality, but the color prevents its selling 
well in our markets, which prefer a darker 
plum. 
Chabot.—This has proved a commercial 
plum of value, when well grown; a fine 
canning plum, but lacks color when over¬ 
loaded with fruit. 
Satsuma.—A fine selling plum, blood red 
fleshed, but tree is short-lived and tender 
here. Of some of the Burbank seedlings I 
will mention Climax, early and one of the 
largest in size; rots and cracks in wet 
weather; tree weak and short-lived. 
Combination.—Tree tender and no value 
here. 
Sultan.—Satsuma type, a heavy bearer, 
but tree weak and has proved unsatisfactory 
here. 
Hale.—Shy bearer and no value to us. 
Wickson.—Upright grower, but tender on 
tree; no good. One crop is generally the 
limit, and sometimes not that; fruit large 
end handsome. 
October Purple.—The best of the Bur¬ 
bank seedlings I have grown; clingstone, 
but a large juicy plum coming late in the 
season, fairly good quality. I will not 
mention some others which have proved 
of little or no value, but must say as far 
as my experience goes, the really valuable 
commercial plums here would be Red June; 
Abundance, Burbank, where it will not rot; 
Chabot and October Purple, in a limited 
way. H. O. MEAD. 
Worcester Co., Mass. 
SOME APPLES FOR OHIO. 
I would like to know what the objec¬ 
tions are to the following varieties of ap¬ 
ples. I do not see them discussed. I am 
thinking of setting a few of each for for 
Cleveland market—Tetofsky, Colvert, Red 
Beitlgheimer and Pewaukeo. I have set 
out Duchess, Y'ellow Transparent and 
Winesap. It seems as if this country 
had plenty of Baldwins and nurserymen 
seem to be short of them. Would (Tano, 
Mammoth Black Twig and Arkansas Black 
be as reliable growers and good bearers? 
Norwalk, O. m. a. s. 
Tetofsky, while possessing several points 
of merit for an early apple, in inferior 
to Yellow Transparent, which is nearly as 
early and both larger and better in flavor. 
Colvert is not very generally known in 
Ohio, due, no doubt, to the fact that there 
are other varieties of its season, which 
are superior. It is not very good in 
quality, drops badly and is not a good 
keeper after picking. As the correspond¬ 
ent already has Yellow Transparent and 
Duchess I should recommend that the season 
be extended still further with Wealthy, 
which is a splendid late Summer and early 
Fall variety, bearing young. Wealthy is 
prolific, of good quality for dessert or cook¬ 
ing and the fruit keeps well in cold stor¬ 
age until midwinter, if carefully picked and 
stored. Red Beitigbeimer is very large 
and is attractive because of its size and 
peculiar light red color; but is coarse in 
flesh and poor in quality. Its great size 
renders it salable to those who are attracted 
by the unusual. The trees, on the writer’s 
ground, are shy in bearing, and the great 
apples drop badly. The Wolf River is 
preferable to the Beitigbeimer because of 
greater prolificacy, while its size is fully 
as large and its color more attractive. 
I should not plant many trees of either 
variety. Pcwaukee is prolific, but dull in 
color, drops badly before the crop is ready 
to gather and is not generally a good 
keeper. The inquirer would do well to 
plant Baldwin, Jonathan and Grimes in 
i orthern Ohio. Red Canada is rather suc- 
icssful in this latUude, ard is of good ap¬ 
pearance and flavor as is also the Balti¬ 
more. The fact that Baldwin tiees are 
scarce in the nurseries is hardly sufficient 
evidence that the planters are fully sup¬ 
plied. Really, on the contrary, it evi¬ 
dences that the demand is greater than 
the supply. Mammoth Black Twig and 
Arkansas Black are tardy and shy bear¬ 
ers in northern Ohio, and would prove un¬ 
profitable and disappointing. Gano is pre¬ 
ferable to Ben Davis—in name, if not in 
other characteristics. It is practically a 
smooth red instead of a striped Ben Davis. 
Ben Davis is becoming harder and harder 
to sell to those who are learning the dif¬ 
ference between high and low quality in 
apples. At our recent National Corn Show 
at Columbus, there was a booth at which 
Washington State apples were sold for 
eating. Black Ben Davis, Stayman Wine- 
sap and Rome Beauty, were offered, each 
variety being labeled with large card labels 
bearing the name. For the first two or 
three days the monstrous, attractive Black 
Bens bore their proper label; but evidently 
they went slowly, for the label was soon 
changed to “Washington Red Pippins.” 
They doubtless sold better following this 
questionable juggling of names, for the 
proper label did not again appear during 
the show. F. H. BALLOU. 
CHANGE THE BEARING HABIT. 
What can be done to apples like Bald¬ 
win to make them bear a crop every year? 
Conditions vary so much in different 
localities that it is pretty hard to give 
any specific advice. I have an orchard 
of mixed Baldwins and Greenings that 
bear annually exceedingly good crops. For¬ 
merly they were very irregular in this 
respect. I attribute this result to keeping 
the trees in good vigorous growing con¬ 
dition and an ample supply of plant food 
always at hand, particularly potash and 
phosphoric acid. In my opinion, trees to 
bear regularly here in the East should 
have a certain application each year rather 
than wait for crops before applying this 
material. *1 consider potash in the form 
of sulphate superior to that of muriate, 
and phosphoric acid as supplied by basic 
slag superior to acid phosphate, particu¬ 
larly as regards fruit trees. G. a. drew. 
Connecticut. 
That nature may be helped in some 
ways goes without saying, but I cannot 
believe that any set rule or practice could 
be followed that would work out the re¬ 
sults sought. 1 fancy this question arises 
largely among men who may universally 
have light yields when they have any, be¬ 
cause of lax methods. I rarely hear any 
complaint among practical orchard men 
who have big yields of Baldwin and Green¬ 
ing every other year. They simply make 
the best of what they get and coax the 
trees up by proper methods to do the same 
thing another year when they are ready. 
1 once heard of a man who offered a re¬ 
cipe for a consideration that would work 
out the results you refer to; of course, 
he simply had a gold brick for sale. We 
have some trees that bear only every other 
year, and have no thought of making any 
experiment to change their habits. 
New York. H. s. wilet. 
In order to change habit of biennial 
bearing of Baldwins and Greenings, would 
plow after growth commenced, whether in 
sod or otherwise; prune rather severely, 
give frequent cultivation until July 1, and 
sow cover crop, fertilizing for only normal 
tree growth. Practice severe hand thin¬ 
ning of first heavy crop, before August 1 ; 
July 15 would be better in order to in¬ 
crease fruit buds following (light crop) 
year. . E. w. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee page 20. 
Olympic Nature Nursery, 
THE FOREST CONSERVATORY. 
Oregon Grape, Rhododendron, Madrona, Huckle¬ 
berry, Ferns, Blackberry, Salal, Twin Flower, 
Spirea, Trillium, Wild idly-of-the-Valley, Ever¬ 
greens and other Puget Sound Plants and Flowers. 
Special Mail Collections—Ten plants for 50 cents; 
24 for $1, postpaid in the United States. Money 
back if not satisfied. Make money orders payable 
to JOEL SllOMAKER, Neliita, Washington. 
rREES W ,S H FOR 98c 
1 Roosevelt, 1 Bradshaw Plum, 1 
Niagara Peach, 1 Bing, 1 Napo¬ 
leon, I Montmorency Cherry, 1 
Baldwin, 1 McIntosh, 1 King 
Apple, 1 Orange Quince, 1 Bartlett, 
1 Seckel Pear. All first class trees, 
2 yr., 4 ft. high for 98c. Everybody 
write for free illustrated catalogue. 
Wells, Box 13 Dansvilh, N„ Y. 
PLANT HARDY TREES 
Healthy, acclimated, high grade, true to label fruit trees 
and plants forh’orthern States at wholesale prices, direct 
from nursery to planter. Send for catalogue. 
^EURl^lUMjURSERIES^ES^JQuMszn^rc^ 
12 FRUIT 
Maloney Bros. & 
House Drainage. 
On page 207 G. W. D. asks about house 
drainage, and speaks about a system some 
one describrd previously. At that time I 
was just finishing a new house, and I 
followed up his plan, making a settling 
pool three by four feet, four feet deep, and 
cementing and then a cesspool 15 or 20 
feet from the settling pool; the cesspool 
eight feet deep with dry wall, then arch 
over; then four-inch pipe running from 
both rooms to settling pool with elbow let¬ 
ting the water in below the surface of the 
water. An elbow takes the water out be¬ 
low the top of the water, then running in 
to cesspool and it works all right. 
REASONS WHY 
BLANCHARD’S 
BRAND” 
Spraying\fSFylVlateriais 
ARE THE BEST 
REP A IKE Blanchard is the OLDEST manufacturer of 
DlUAUOL agricultural sprays in the world. 
REPAIKE Blanchard is the LARGEST manufacturer of 
DlUAUOL agricultural sprays in the world. 
REPAIKE li * nnr l ,ar, i the only firm whose exclusive bus- 
DLuMUoL mess is manufacturing sprays and insecticides. 
H T p A ||Q C Blanchard is the only manufacturer of a COM- 
DlUAUOL PLETE LINE ol agricultural sprays. 
REP A IICE Blanchard’s are the most PERFECTLY 
DLUAUOL EQUIPPED factories in the world. 
REP A IKE Blanchard usee his own improved processes 
DlUAUOL and makes nothing hut insecticides and sprays, 
SOME BLANCHARD PRODUCTS 
LION BRANO Lime-Sulphur LION BRAND Kerosene 
Solution Emulsion 
LION BRAND Bordeaux Mixture LION BRAND Whale Oil Soap 
LION BRAND Pure Paris Green LION BRAND Insect Powder 
LION BRAND Arsenate of Lead LION BRAND Powdered Tobacco 
Even' successful grower knows he must spray to have 
an orchard constantly increasing in value and earning 
capacity. 
ft’s simply a question whose spraying materials to use. 
Tliose who know will have done hut HI.A NCHARD’S 
I.ION VRANI). because of their scientific, formulas, 
perfection in manufacture, and dependable uniformity 
in quality and effectiveness. Huy from your local dealer 
or write to us and refuse to allow any one to substitute 
any other brand. 
LION BRANO PRODUCTS ARE GUARANTEED UNDER THE 
INSECTICIDE ACT OF 1910 BY 
THE JAMES A. BLANCHARD CO., 
524 Hudson Terminal, 111 Broad St., 
New York St. Joseph, Mich. 
FRFF RfHlKI FT “When, How and Why to Spray,” >« 
i m-1 pool'll. I filled with interesting and valuable spraying 
information. Semi your addtesR tor a Fuse Copy. 
WOOD’S HIGH-GRADE 
Farm Seeds. 
We are headquarters for 
the best in all Farm seeds. 
Grass and Clover Seeds 
Seed Corn, Cotton Seed, 
Cow Peas, Soja Beans, 
g SorgTiums, Kaffir Corn, ^ 
Millet Seed, Peanuts, etc. q 
''Wood’s Crop issued 
Special” monthly 
gives timely information as to 
seeds to plant each month in 
the year, also prices of Season¬ 
able Seeds. Write for copy, 
mailed free on request. 
Fresh Dug’ Nursery Stock. 
A complete assortment of the finest Genesee Valley 
Grown Fruit Trees, etc. Stock guaranteed, prices 
r ight ca& f e° r free L w - HALL & CO., Rochester, N.Y. 
SALESMEN WANTED 
TO SELL TREES AND PLANTS 
Free outfit. Commis¬ 
sion paid weekly. Write 
for terms. PERRY NURS¬ 
ERIES, Rochester, N. Y, 
—150 ACKKS. Genesee Valley 
grown. “Not the cheapest, but 
the best.’’ Never have had San 
Jose Seale. Established 1869. 
TATAinr VRVX7 GEO. A. SWEET NURSERY CO., 
CATALOG FREE 2 0 Maple St.. Dansville, N. Y. 
CATALPA sp t e » c e'e"s s * 
Mine are true to name. Write for Free booklet which tells 
all about the iso acres I am growing for telephone poles. 
H. C. ROGERS, Box 11, Mechanicsburg, Ohio. 
FRUIT TREES AND PLANTS JSs 
Apples ... $15.00 per IOC) 
Peaches ... $8.00 per lOO 
Cherries ... $10.00 per lOO 
Strictly First-Class Stock, Government In¬ 
spected. Write today for our free cat alogue 
on Fruits and Orni'nientals, and buy riireet 
from tin- growers. Our trees are grown in that 
great nurserv belt of Ontario County. 
ONTARIO NURSERY CO., Inc. 
GENEVA, N. Y. Box No. 21 
PLANT $1.00 soc"!^ 
and get one of these collections: 
10 Cherry Trees_or 10 Pear Trees 
10 Pluto Trees-or III Peach Trees 
12 (Snipe Vines or 50 Berry Bushes 
5 liose Bushes.or 5 Shrubs 
McKay's Catalogue Free 
W. L. McKAY, Geneva, N. Y. Box R 
Pomeroy Hardy English WALNUT TREES 
Free Illustrated Booklet 
ENGLISH WALNUT FARM 
I), N. POMEltY, LOCKPOliT. N. Y. 
EVERGREENS. 
Largest stock in 
America, Including 
Colorado Blue Spruce 
and Douglas Spruce 
of Colorado. 
Also Ornamental 
Shade and Forest 
Trees. 
R. DOUGLAS’ SONS 
Waukegan, III. 
BOO Varieties. Also Grapes, Small Fruits, etv. Best 
rooted stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sa-mpte currants mailed for 10c. 
Catalog free. LEWIS KOKSCHA SON, Box h ,Fredonla, N. F, 
RAPEVINE 
Large stock. Best varieties. Best Grade. 
Guaranteed true. 
SPECIAL OFFER. 
We will send, postpaid, 10 strong, hardy, two- 
year-old GitAPKVINES—best varieties, red, 
wliite and black — for $1. 00 . Just the kind 
for planting around the house, along fences, or 
in the garden. We also offer Five Three-Year- 
Old vines For SI.OO. Will bear year after 
L planting. Our valuable book, how to plant 
and prune, free with every order. Mention 
tills paper and we'll add free one new, 
large, red currant. 
T. S. HUBBARD COMPANY 
Grapevina Spacialista 
^350 Central Ave.,Krcdonla,N.Y. 
Established 11 years. 
CABBAGE SEED 
New Enkhuizen Glory (the world’s best cab¬ 
bage) : extra selected seed, my own importa¬ 
tion. direct from Introducers in Holland, of 
this truly wonderful Cabbage, Lb. $2.60, Oz., 
36 cts., I'kt., 10 Cts. K. J. Wakefield, All 
Head Kurly. Early Summer, Succession, 
Winnigstadt, Surehead. Late Flat Hutch, 
Drumhead, Lb. $1.50, Oz. 20 cts., Pkt. 5 cts. 
Postpaid. Write for free Catalog. 
J. AUG. DRAKE, Seedsman. 1(0 Main St. Chester, N. J. 
