1912. 
<THE> RURAb NEW-YORKER 
233 
SORTING NURSERY TREES. 
Can an expert tell varieties apart when 
not labeled? 
Yes, there are a few experts who can 
separate many varieties of fruit trees when 
mixed to nearly a certainty, especially apple 
and pear trees, but this is much more 
easily done when trees are dormant than 
when foliage is on them. Every tree and 
plant has its individual character, and just 
as distinct as it is in the human race to 
those who are fully acquainted with the 
subject. This man who could not tell a 
Northern Spy from a Baldwin was in no 
way an expert. There are many varieties 
that resemble, each other, as the Clapp's 
Favorite and Flemish Beauty, but there is 
a marked distinction outside of the color 
of the wood that those who fully understand 
them can detect in perfectly grown trees, 
while Bartlett and Sheldon resemble each 
other in color, they do not in any other re¬ 
spect. I should much prefer to undertake 
the task on dormant trees than those in 
foliage, as the character of the wood in 
color and general appearance is more dis¬ 
tinct. It requires a certain intuition and 
a long practice to acquire this facility. The 
peach is the most difficult of all; it is more 
easy to learn the different characters of 
varieties when in foliage than when dor¬ 
mant, and only possible to be sure in a few 
very distinct varieties, as there is such a 
general resemblance to each other in most 
varieties that no one that I ever came in 
contact with could name many varieties to 
a certainty. It is easy to select the yellow 
fleshed varieties from the white and red 
when in foliage, but there are so many 
that have the same resemblance to each 
other as to make it uncertain. For in¬ 
stance, the Smock is very distinct from 
other yellow varieties, but there are sev¬ 
eral of this class that are very similar in 
fruit and entirely so in foliage. This is 
the same in the several allied varieties. The 
Elberta is very distinct in tree and foliage, 
but there are several varieties originated 
from it that are distinct in fruit but not 
in general appearance of the tree. There 
are several varieties of the Winesap class 
of apples where the wood has the same 
color; still the character of the growth is 
entirely different, and one with the talent 
and long practice can detect one from the 
other. In my younger days it was a very 
easy matter for me to select different va¬ 
rieties of dormant trees from each other 
without labels of all of the well-known va¬ 
rieties, or those that I was thoroughly ac¬ 
quainted with. I know there arc but few 
that can do this, but if they are unable to 
do it they should not claim to be experts, 
and every nurseryman should possess this 
ability to avoid blunders or mistakes, which 
will always occur more or less, and if he is 
not able to detect it at once the error may 
run on a long time and cause trouble. This 
is not only essential in trees, but in all 
nursery production. He should at least ac¬ 
quaint himself with the general character 
of a fruit tree or plant, so as to detect any 
mixture whether he knows what the mix¬ 
ture is or not. ciias. black. 
New Jersey. 
THE KEUKA LAKE FRUIT REGION. 
As a fruit grower of western New York 
I wish to show what one small section is 
doing, and let our Western brothers know 
that there is sunshine and prosperity in 
the East as well as the West. While at¬ 
tending the fruit and land show in Chicago 
Hist November a lady from western New 
York was told by an exhibitor from a West¬ 
ern State, that it was impossible to make 
a living on a New York fruit farm with¬ 
out a large capital to start with. She re¬ 
plied, “We manage to get along, thank 
you.” It is interesting to note that the 
Eastern fruit growers are awakening to the 
fact that fruit of superior flavor and ap¬ 
pearance can be and is grown in many 
sections of Eastern States. We have been 
negligent in presenting our finely flavored 
apples and peaches before the public in as 
attractive a manner as our grapes. 
On the shores of beautiful Lake Keuka 
in western New York between 15,000 and 
20.000 acres of grapes, besides thousands 
of acres of tree fruit are grown. The Con¬ 
cord, Niagara, Catawba, Delaware and 
Salem are grown here to perfection, all 
high-class table grapes. From four to five 
million four-pound baskets are packed each 
year in the Lake Keuka district, and mostly 
sold to dealers at shipping stations, the 
grower receiving nearly as much for the 
small basket as Broctou and Michigan dis¬ 
tricts get for the eight-pound package. 
Many thousand tons are sold in bulk to 
the large wine cellars along the lake. The 
famous Catawba, a late red variety, is 
shipped to all parts of the United States, 
to New Orleans and the Pacific coast. Com¬ 
mission men come here from Eastern cities 
and buy grapes by the carload; very few 
are consigned. In this locality the vines 
are never laid down in Winter to prevent 
freezing, and no usS for irrigation, al¬ 
though some seasons are a little too dry 
for a time, but no absolute failures for 
lack of rain. No smudge pots are used to 
keep away the frost. 
Our tree fruits with proper care grow as 
fine as on the Western coast, with finer 
flavor. The Baldwin, Spy and Greening 
apples are grown more extensively than all 
others. They are packed in barrels by most 
of the large growers and sell at depot for 
$2.50 to $2.75. In this section the Wag- 
ener is considered a high-class dessert 
apple. When the trees are pruned, given 
good cultivation, sprayed and fruit thinned, 
we get as fine as ever grew. Last season 
we wrapped them in paper and packed in 
boxes for local orders at $2 per box, with 
persistent calls for more. Peaches sell in 
the local market at 2% cents per pound 
in bulk; many are packed in different styles 
of packages and shipped on orders. Some 
sell to commission men tree run, the grower 
to pick, pack and deliver to station. The 
Seckel and Bartlett pear is extensively 
grown. Bartletts grow well here, and when 
well cared for the fruit is fine. Some were 
sold last year to a Philadelphia dealer who 
pronounced them as fine as California Bart¬ 
letts. Sour cherries do well in this re¬ 
gion and go to the cannery at five cents a 
pound. Plums and all kinds of berries 
grow well. 
The main drawback with our Eastern 
fruit growing is the man behind the plow ; 
he is not there, he either wants to go West, 
or he sits on the cracker barrel in the 
grocery and talks about some business 
which does not concern his own, and keeps 
his pipe puffing. If he goes to a practical 
fruit grower to learn his methods of prun¬ 
ing, cultivation, thinning, etc., he is very 
slow to practice them. If one has the love 
of nature in his heart there is a joy in 
seeing things grow better, which is a satis¬ 
faction beyond money consideration. The 
happiness of doing things worth while is 
what counts. There is nothing in the world 
will help a man to step higher and feel the 
thrill of heaven in his heart like making 
some little spot in the world better and 
more homelike. It may be only a few acres, 
but if we have built it up, so it grows 
more crops, looks better, and adds to the 
happiness of some one, we have done enough 
to entitle us to a place in the hearts of 
our friends. c. F. HAIGHT. 
Yates Co., N. Y. 
Two or three young men were ex¬ 
hibiting with great satisfaction -the 
results of a day’s fishing. A young 
woman remarked, demurely: “Fish go 
in schools, do they not?” “I believe 
they do; but why do you ask?” “Oh, 
nothing; only I was just thinking that 
you must have broken up an infant 
class.—Washington Star. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
From 
Our Ovens 
To 
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Untouched by human 
hands— 
Post 
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—the aristocrat of Ready- 
to-Serve foods. 
A table dainty, made of white 
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flavour and wholesome nourish¬ 
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The steadily increasing sale of 
this food speaks volumes in behalf 
of its excellence. 
An order for a package of Post 
Toasties from your grocer will 
provide a treat for the whole 
family. 
The Memory Lingers" 
Money 
Making 
Mowers 
Ever^r farmer needs at least one good 
Mower. In these days of high priced 
hay and increased demand for high grade 
he& the business farmer appreciates 
more than ever the advantages of a large, 
powerful, fast, dependable mower. An 
inferior mower is dear at any price. Hay is now more 
than ever a big money making crop. 
The Johnston Line of Mowers appeal to more farmers than any 
other make. The high foot lift, making them possible to clear 
stumps and stones; the gag gear, permitting the cutter-bar to hug 
the ground; its long, wooden pitman with heavy malleable connec¬ 
tions and babbitted cast iron box, guaranteeing long wear and 
smooth action; the easily controlled high grade steel cutter-bars, the 
easily removed pinions, are some of the features that make a money¬ 
making mower—a Johnston Mower —the mower you should have. 
In almost every civilized country you will find Johnston Mowers at 
work; they are suited to all countries, all soils and all crop con¬ 
ditions. You need not hesitate to buy a Johnston Mower. 
Johnston 
Farm 
Machines 
have done much to make 
farming pleasant and pop¬ 
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profitable. Johnston qual¬ 
ity has never been ques¬ 
tioned. When you buy a 
Johnston you get full 
value. 
We want every farmer in¬ 
terested in more and better hay to send for our 1912 catalog, 
course, it's free. A postal request will bring it by next mail. 
JOHNSTON HARVESTER CO., Boi 100-B, Batavia N.Y., 
Postum Cereal Company, Limited 
Battle Creek, Michigan 
Free From Trust, Combine or Merger. 
To the users of Le Roy Walking Plows, it is not i 
necessary to buy expensive space to urge the trial of 
Le Roy Riding Plows. They know and tell their 
friends what we claim and guarantee the 
Le Roy Plows are easier dralt and do 
better work than others. The main arch on 
Le Roy Sulkies is a steel beam, others use 
a casting. Le Roy frame is all steel. The 
weight of your foot will operate our “easy 
loot trip** and the team does all the work and 
performs it easy. 
A boy can do the work of an expen¬ 
sive man and come in fresh from a big 
day’s work. Either chill or steel bottom 
plows supplied. Avoid the expensive and 
troublesome dead lurrow by using 
Le Roy Two-way Sulky Plows. A 
call on your home dealer or a line from 
you will secure additional and interesting 
information. 
LE ROY PLOW CO-, Lc Roy, N. Y. 
(This Company is independent of any Trust, Combine or Merger) 
Planet Jt* 
Wheel Riding Cultivator 
The Planet Jr No. 76 Pivot Wheel Riding Culti¬ 
vator. Plow, Furrower, and Ridger is the greatest one 
row cultivator ever invented for corn, potatoes, and similar 
crops. It unites the best features in earlier cultivators and 
is the most up-to-date labor and time saver of its kind. It’s a 
Planet Jr. 
This means the best material throughout. It’s comfortable 
to ride on, light in draft, simple, efficient and durable. All Planet Jrs are useful, 
economical, lasting; made by a practical farmer and manufacturer with over 35 years’ 
^experience. 
ITD Ij'tj' I A 64-page illustrated 
A JlVJLvXIs ■ farm and garden book! 
You need this book! It’s full of valuable farm and garden facts to help you get better 
crops with less work. 55 latest-improved tools shown, with one and two-horse cultivators, wheel 
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S L Allen & Co Box 1107V Philadelphia Pa 
Buckeye 
CULTIVATORS 
Will do the work right. They are easy on both man and team. 
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Send for the new Buckeye Cultivator Catalogue, read it and then 
go to your local dealer and insist on seeing a Buckeye Cultivator. 
“The Buckeye—a Wise Buy.” 
The American Seeding Machine Co I NCORPORATED 
5PRiNOriELD, Ohio U 3 /A. 
