1811. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
se3 
VAN DEMAN’S NOTES. 
Grapevines With Little Fruit. 
C. B. II., German Valley, N. J .—We have 
a number of grapevines in our garden, along 
the outside edge, in good soil, which we 
have manured well from year to year, and 
last year we covered the ground around 
the vines with a heavy mulch of leaves and 
straw, thinking they would retain the mois¬ 
ture and perhaps do good, but we had no 
grapes as usual. The vines grow well, look 
well and need considerable pruning every 
year, but give but little fruit and that not 
very nice. 
Ans. —Grapevines that are well 
treated, as these seem to be, ought to 
bear good crops. It is possible that 
they are of some variety that has im¬ 
perfect flowers and may be barren or 
not very productive. The Wilder ancj 
some other kinds are of this character, 
but the Concord and nearly all the com¬ 
mon varieties are perfect in flower and 
bear well. Any unfruitful vines should 
be grafted to better varieties. It may 
be that mildew or black rot has blasted 
the young fruit after it has set and if 
so this can be prevented by spraying 
with Bordeaux Mixture as soon as the 
young fruit is formed and twice again 
later in the growing season. 
Fruits for Northeastern New York. 
L. A. R., Plattsburgh, N. Y .—What are 
the best kinds of dwarf and standard pears, 
cherries, sweet and sour; also plums to set 
In this locality, Northeastern New York? 
We have about 25 standard pear trees, 
Flemish Beauty, 30 years old or more, that 
bear pretty well, if we get them sprayed 
so as to have perfect fruit. I have lately 
purchased this place where I lived as a 
child. The orchard of four or five hundred 
apple trees has been neglected and we are 
trying to build it up. 
Ans. —Among the best pears to plant 
are the Bartlett, Seckel, Sheldon and 
Lawrence. As dwarf trees the Louise 
Bonne and Angouleme are very good. 
Of the sweet cherries the Bing, Lam¬ 
bert, Napoleon and Schmidt are- those 
I would plant, and the Richmond and 
Montmorency of the sour kinds. The 
Lombard, Grand Duke and Monarch 
are among the best of the plums. To 
build up the old apple orchard the trees 
should have all dead wood cut out, the 
feeble branches cut back severely, so 
they will form new wood, and the 
ground plowed and harrowed or other¬ 
wise stirred on the surface during the 
Summer. All the fertility that can be 
added in the way of farm manure will 
help materially in the vigor of the trees 
and their bearing ability. Any of the 
nurseries advertising in this paper can 
furnish good trees for planting. 
English Walnut in Pennsylvania. 
M. II. W., Spring City., Pa ,—Wc have be¬ 
tween 300 and 400 seedlings that we raised 
from the nut, here in Chester County, Penn¬ 
sylvania, of the so-called English walnut. 
We planted the seeds from a tree which has 
borne annual crops of about 15 bushels for 
the last 20 years. The nuts are the equal 
of anything I have ever bought on the mar¬ 
ket; the shell is very thin, and the meat 
very delicious. These trees have been set 
In a nursery row for three years, having 
been planted there from the seed row. 
They have been well cultivated and are 
now more than one inch in diameter, on 
an average and perhaps five feet tall. Do 
you think it would pay us to plant these 
trees? We did grow them, indeed, for this 
purpose, but we have read so many con¬ 
flicting reports about the advisability of 
planting nuts here, that we scarcely know 
what to do. 
Ans. —Yes, I think it would pay to 
plant out the seedling walnut trees men¬ 
tioned into permanent orchard form. 
They are from a hardy and productive 
parent tree and probably one that is 
isolated and the bloom not subject to 
crossing with other trees, which would 
make the nuts quite thoroughbred and 
the seedlings will probably be fairly true 
to type. There will be variations of 
course and it would be much better if 
the trees were grafted, but a splendid 
walnut orchard can be made from the 
lot of seedlings. They are just the right 
size to transplant. They should be 
planted out at once and not nearer than 
50 feet apart. Even 60 feet would be 
none too far when they attain full size. 
In the bearing walnut orchards of Cali¬ 
fornia I saw, when I was there last 
Fall, the bad results of too-close plant¬ 
ing. The trees must have room for full 
development. Most of these orchards 
are of seedling trees and they pay well, 
but would pay better if all were grafted 
to the better varieties. On the shores 
of Lake Chelan, in Washington, I saw 
some fine young seedling walnut or¬ 
chards last Fall when in bearing. 
There was considerable variation in 
the style of trees, bearing, size of nuts 
and other points and yet these orchards 
were very valuable. Those who will 
plant and care for the trees until they 
come into bearing will be well repaid. 
The ground between the trees can be 
used for growing farm or garden crops 
for several years. The trees deserve 
the best land that can be found and will 
richly pay for it in due time. 
Pears in Michigan. 
H. T., Sodus, Mich. —What is to be done 
with a block of well-kept Kieffer pear trees 
that do not bear? Experts tell me they 
need cross-fertilization. I am informed 
such sorts as Bartlett, Clapp, etc., will not 
do well top-worked on the Kieffer stock. 
Has anyone had experience in grafting Gar¬ 
ber or some other Oriental on the Kieffer? 
Is the Rosney pear of any considerable com¬ 
mercial value? What are its merits and 
faults? 
Ans. —The Garber pear bloom is said 
to pollinate that of the Kieffer, but I 
have never tested it myself. These two 
varieties will graft together very well, 
both being of the Oriental type. Kief¬ 
fer is really in need of cross-pollina¬ 
tion with other varieties, and just what 
ones are best suited for this use has 
never been worked out thoroughly, so 
far as I know. The Rosney may bloom 
at the same time as the Kieffer, which 
is quite early, and if so it is probable 
that its pollen may be potent on the 
stigmas of the latter, but the fruit is of 
poor quality and would have only a 
limited sale. h. e. van deman. 
Hungarian Grass or Millet. 
II. C. D., Connecticut.—I notice consid¬ 
erable about millet and very little about 
Hungarian grass. Is not the latter as 
good for feeding as the millet? Last year 
I sowed them side by side on poor land 
with a little fertilizer, and got a good crop 
from the Hungarian, but the millet was so 
short I could hardly cut it. 
Ans. —On strong, fertile, moist soils, 
where seeding can be done fairly early 
in the Summer, the millet of the Jap¬ 
anese type will without doubt give a 
much heavier yield per acre than Hun¬ 
garian, but where the seeding must be 
done somewhat late in the season on 
the soils, which are inclined to be dry 
and are lacking in fertility, either the 
Hungarian or the common millet will 
be likely to give better results than the 
larger growing Japanese millet or Ger¬ 
man millet. L. A. CLINTON. 
Canada Thistles. —Perhaps my ex¬ 
perience with thistles may be of advan¬ 
tage to H. B. S., page 351. When I 
came here I found, a patch of Canada 
thistles several rods in extent growing 
in a Timothy sod. They were cut with 
a scythe once to prevent seeding and 
the field plowed early in August and 
left without harrowing to dry out. It 
was then top-dressed with manure and 
seeded to rye the fore part of Septem¬ 
ber. The rye made a vigorous growth, 
and was plowed under and set to cab¬ 
bage in the Spring. The plowing and 
drying weakened those roots. Harrow- 
ing for rye a month later tore up what 
had started. Then the rye choked and 
smothered them until May, and when 
turned upside down again they were so 
thoroughly discouraged that I think not 
more than a dozen little sickly plants 
ever got their heads up. These were 
nipped off as we hoed the cabbage. That 
finished the job completely; for three 
years now we have seen no sign of 
them, and it all cost less than an hour’s 
extra work. b. v. g. 
Sharon, Pa. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
II. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
The One Great 
Summer Underwear 
Look for 
this Label 
when yon 
buy 
‘ Porosknit 
REG. US.PAT.OFF. 
Li. This Label on Every Garment 
E LASTIC, soft, absorbent, perfect in 
fit, firmly sewed, durable, best 
trimmings. Always cool, because the 
fabric is open. Very durable and easily 
washed. 
The biggest underwear value, but sold at a 
price within reach of all. Buy a suit at your 
dealer’s. Two million people wear no other. The 
only way you know you are getting "Porosknit 1 ’ 
is by the label on every garment. 
MEN’S Any Style BOYS’ 
SOc Shirts and Drawers 25c 
Men’s Union Suits, $1.00 
Boys’ Union Suits, .50 
Write for Illustrated Catalogue showing all styles 
CHALMERS KNITTING CO. 
179 Washington Street, Amsterdam, New York 
AFTER 29 YEARS 
NOT RUSTED YET 
This picture shows a few “ M I F Co ” 
shingle nails that have been in service for 
29 years. 
During all this time these nails have been in 
use on a shingle roof less than one mile from 
the seashore on Mr. M. P. Harding’s store at 
Branford, Ct. 
These shingle nails have been exposed to 
salt air, to rain and frost and snow, till the 
wooden shingles have become badly rotted. 
But not one of these heavy zinc coated nails 
rusted. Not one broke off, or lost its grip on 
the weather-boarding beneath uutil pulled out 
by force. 
That most of these nails were bent in draw¬ 
ing, proves that “ MIFCo ” nails do not 
rust and enlarge the nail hole, that frost cannot 
lift them, that they outlast the toughest wood. 
We have other owners’ stories just as con- 
vincingas Mr. Harding’s. We have “MIFCo” 
nails from more than 20 other roofs almost 
as old as these illustrated. 
Farmers, architects and builders will agree 
that such nails will insure the long life of 
roofs, fences and all outdoor work. It is 
economy to use them. 
If your dealer isn’t supplied with “MIFCo” 
heavy zinc coated nails write us for booklet 
and your nearest dealer’s name. 
MALLEABLE IRON FITTINGS CO., Branford, Ct. 
FUMA 
99 kill* Prairie Dogs, 
Woodchucks, Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
“The wheels of the gods 
grind slow but exceed¬ 
ingly small.” So the weevil, but you can stop their 
e ;\ n th “ Fuma Carbon Bisulphide ” a £ &£ 
KDWAllD It. TAYLOll, Penn Tan, N. Y. 
Write Today 
We want every farmer in the land to have 
our attractive Free Booklet on hay loaders. 
It’s full of interesting facts and illustrations. 
It shows plainly why the simple, light run¬ 
ning “GEARLESS” Hay Loader is the cheap¬ 
est to buy, the easiest to operate, the most 
durable and altogether the most satisfactory 
loader for heavy hay, windrows, light hay, 
clover, alfalfa or beans. 
It’s the loader that can be depended upon 
every hour during the haying season. “ No 
time out for repairs.” 
Let us send you our Free Booklet at once. 
Write us today. 
LA CROSSE HAY TOOL CO. 
THIRTY-FIFTH STREET. CHICAGO HEIGHTS. ILL. 
Offers every convenience of any hay car¬ 
rier, and excels all others In easy draft 
and long service. All troubles are elimi¬ 
nated; saves labor and repairs: and holds 
the load at any point. 
Result of 40 Years’ Experience 
Many different styles adapted for every 
requirement. Tell us your needs, and we 
will forward the advice of specialists. 
Send for our booklet showing hay and 
litter carriers, stanchions, hay forks and 
slings. Agents wanted for Barn Specialties. 
The Ricker Mfg. Co., Rochester, N. Y. 
Fastest Hay Press 
2Vz Tons Per Hour 
Greater capacity is guaranteed in all Spencer 
Presses. The guarantee with our Alligator 
Press says “22 tons in lOliours or no pay.” Largo 
feed capacity—smooth and compact bales, uni¬ 
form in size. Load full weight into cars. All 
Spencer Presses are biggest money makers be¬ 
cause they glvo greatest capacity at liny 
smallest operating ami repalrcost. £___ Guaranteed 
Write today tor Free illustrated //CLr.flaiv/ Capacity 
catalogB. B. describing full line. 
J. A. SPENCER 
101 William St., 
A WONDERFUL FARM TOOL 
CLARK’S DOUBLE_ACTION CULTI¬ 
VATOR AND HAR¬ 
ROW. The most won¬ 
derful farm tool ever in¬ 
vented. Two harrows 
in one. Throws the dirt 
then in, leaving the 
land level and true. A 
labor saver, a time saver, 
1 crop maker. Perfect centre draft. jointed pole. 
Beware of imitations and infringements. Send today 
for FREE Booklet, “ Intensive Cultivation.” 
CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 
839 Main St., Higganum, Conn. 
HAY 
CAPS 
Stack, Implement, Wagon 
and Farm Covers, Water¬ 
proof or Plain Canvas. 
Plant Bed Cloth. 
Waterproof Sheeting, Tents, etc. 
Henry Derby, 123-Y Chambers St., NewYork 
Monarch 
Hydraulic 
Cider Press 
Great strength and ca¬ 
pacity; all sizes; also 
gasoline engines, 
steam engines, 
sawmills, thresh¬ 
ers. Catalog free. 
MONARCH MACHINERY CO GOO Hudson Terminal, New York 
